Virus
by Sparkle731
Summary: Starsky is infected with a mysterious unidentified virus. Can the doctors find a way to save him or is it already too late? Major angst ahead. Chapter 22 posted. Story is complete.
1. Chapter 1

VIRUS

**VIRUS**

Starsky is infected with a mysterious unidentified virus. Can the doctors find a way to save him or is it already too late? Major angst ahead.

A/N: Due to some RL issues, chapters to this story may not be posted as frequently as usual and I apologize for that.

Beta read by Megan

**Chapter 1**

David Starsky moaned in pleasure as he felt the soft warm lips brush against his right nipple, suckling gently. He forced his eyes open and looked down at the bent head of the woman nuzzling at his chest. A sharp hiss escaped his lips as she nipped lightly at the tight little nub of flesh and then soothed the sting with her tongue. Even after a long night of making love, his body automatically responded to her ingenious wakeup call.

Wrapping his fingers in her long chestnut colored hair, he pulled her head up so he could capture her lips in a passionate, demanding kiss. Effortlessly, he rolled her over onto her back and covered her naked body with his own, his groin thrusting against hers as he sought to relieve the sudden ache deep within his center. With a deep, satisfied groan, he felt himself sink into her warm, welcoming body.

Starsky was a considerate and passionate lover, always putting his partner's pleasure before his own. With a talent honed from years of practice, he used his tongue, his mouth, his hands, and his body to give the woman beneath him as much pleasure as he could, not stopping until she was drained and exhausted from multiple orgasms. Only then did he seek his own pleasure, coming with groan that sounded deep in his chest as his body stiffened and then slowly relaxed as he emptied the last of his seed into his partner. Rolling to one side, he gently pulled the woman into his arms with a crooked smile and kissed her gently. "Good morning." He whispered with a soft chuckle.

"Good morning," the woman whispered back with a giggle. Her dark brown eyes sparkled with pleasure as she looked into his ruggedly handsome face and deep sapphire blue eyes. David Starsky was by far the best lover she had ever had and she had enjoyed every minute of their time together immensely. Besides being a talented lover, he was also kind, romantic, and funny with just a hint of danger that made him even more intriguing.

"I have to get ready for work." Starsky said in a regret filled voice, reluctant to leave the comfort of his bed. But duty called and his partner, Ken Hutchinson, would be here soon to pick him up for work.

"Go on and get ready. I'll make breakfast while you shower and get dressed." She suggested sweetly.

Starsky grinned as he tossed aside the light sheet that they had slept under and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He shoved himself to his feet and swaggered into the adjoining bathroom to start his morning routine. He had met his newest flame two weeks ago at his usual hangout, a bar and grill called The Pits. Her name was Gretchen Walker, she was a freelancer researcher who had recently moved to Bay City from Seattle. She was beautiful and intelligent with a wicked sense of humor. Outgoing and affectionate in public, she turned into a wildcat in bed, his image of the ideal woman.

After a quick shower and shave, Starsky brushed his teeth and returned to his bedroom to dress. He quickly pulled on his usual attire, a pair of faded blue jeans so tight that every asset was shamelessly displayed, a light blue tee shirt and his favorite pair of shoes, his blue and white Adidas. Running his fingers through his thick curly hair, he walked into the kitchen where he found Gretchen putting the final touches on breakfast.

The aroma of bacon and pancakes filled the air, making his mouth water.

He slipped his arms around Gretchen's slender waist from behind and leaned forward to nuzzle the side of her neck affectionately. She was dressed in one of his long sleeved button down shirts, filling it out in an especially enticing way. Impulsively, he ran his hand up under the hem of the shirt to caress a bare hip, earning himself a playful swat on the arm.

"We don't have time." Gretchen warned him playfully "Ken will be here any minute."

Right on queue, there was a light tap on the front door and then it swung open to admit Starsky's partner, Detective Kenneth Hutchinson, known as Hutch to his friends. Hutch was as fair as his partner was dark. Just over six feet tall, he had the same lithe, muscular build. That was where the resemblance ended. His eyes were a light blue and his hair a golden blond that complimented his fair Nordic coloring. Although both men weighted the same despite the two inch difference in their heights, Starsky was more stocky and compact while Hutch had the long lean frame of a natural athlete.

Hutch was also a more conservative dresser than his partner. He was dressed in sharply pressed brown slacks, a tan turtleneck and a tan leather jacket. He could easily have graced the cover of GQ magazine, unless you happened to glance underneath the leather jacket and noticed the heavy magnum nestled in the concealed holster beneath his left arm.

Starsky and Hutch weren't just undercover detectives working one of the roughest beats in Bay City, they were also best friends and closer than brothers. Their unique bond was one of the things that made them so good at what they did. They had the uncanny ability to communicate with just a glance or a gesture, carrying on an entire conversation between themselves without saying a word. It was a habit that drove their commanding officer crazy when they did it in his office.

"Morning, partner." Hutch said with a brilliant smile that lit up the room. He winked at Gretchen, his eyes sweeping over her attire with an amused glance. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"We were just getting ready to eat breakfast. Help yourself. I made plenty." Gretchen said graciously.

Hutch had been with Starsky when he met Gretchen at The Pits. The two men often competed with each other when it came to the attention of a beautiful woman but when Gretchen had made it clear that she was interested in Starsky, Hutch had stepped aside. Neither he nor Starsky were looking for a long term relationship at the moment, they were enjoying being young, single and good looking in a city where women were easy to find and casual sex was an easy commodity to come by. Unlike some of their peers, the two friends weren't players; they were true gentlemen in every sense of the word even with their occasional one night stands.

After a quick breakfast, Starsky gave Gretchen a quick kiss good-bye, reminding her to lock up when she left, and followed Hutch outside to start their day. They climbed down the steps from Starsky's upstairs apartment to where Hutch's car, a battered tan LTD that had seen better days, was parked at the curb, directly behind Starsky's vehicle. Starsky's car reflected his personality perfectly. It was a Ford Gran Torino with a distinctive paint job. A brilliant candy apple red, it had a foot wide white racing stripe, edged in black, that ran across the roof in front of the rear window, down each side and then forward, tapering to a point at the hood.

Since it was Hutch's turn to drive, Starsky reluctantly slid into the passenger's side of the LTD. He tossed some empty sandwich wrappers into the back seat and gave the door a jerk to pull it shut. As Hutch slid beneath the wheel and turned on the engine, Starsky reached beneath the dashboard and grabbed the mike to the police issued radio and pressed the transmit button.

"Zebra Three to Central." He said "Log us on the streets and rolling at eight hundred hours."

"Roger, Zebra three." The dispatcher's voice came back over the air. "Have a good day, Starsky and you two be careful out there."

"We're always careful, schweetheart," Starsky said with his best Bogart impression. He grinned as he hung the mike back on the hidden bracket and leaned back in his seat. He was still a bit tired from the night before but a few cups of coffee would perk him up. Although he appeared to be sitting casually in his seat, his eyes were constantly on the alert, surveying his surroundings for any signs of danger or trouble as Hutch drove towards police headquarters. Little did he or Hutch realize that events were about to unfold that would change both of their lives forever.


	2. Chapter 2

VIRUS

**VIRUS**

**Chapter 2**

By the time his shift had ended, Starsky was ready for a pizza, a shower and bed. He was exhausted and was having trouble keeping his eyes open. He had called Gretchen earlier and canceled their plans for that evening, promising to make it up to her that weekend.

As Hutch pulled up in front of Starsky's apartment, he glanced at his unusually subdued partner and said, "You okay?"

"Yeah, just beat. Too many double shifts this week." Starsky said with a crooked smile. He knew that Hutch had a fiercely protective nature when it came to Starsky's health and well being. It was one of the traits he shared with his friend. When either one of them was hurt or sick, the other one was right there by his side, nursing him back to health. But, sometimes the big blond could go a bit overboard and Starsky was in no mood for any of Hutch's 'mother henning". He just needed a good night's sleep. "I'm gonna order a pizza, take a shower and hit the sack."

"Okay," Hutch said with a hint of hesitation in his voice. Starsky was tired, that much was obvious. Hutch was too. Still, he couldn't help worrying. He knew that Starsky tended to ignore any signs of illness, often pushing himself beyond his limits, and there was a particularly nasty strain of the flu going around headquarters. So many fellow officers were out sick that meant that both men had been working double shifts almost all week. He made a mental note to keep an eye on his partner for the next few days for any signs that he might be coming down with it.

Starsky climbed out of the car and slowly trudged up his steps. Hutch watched until the brunet disappeared inside, closing the door securely behind him, before pulling away from the curb and heading for his own apartment where his plans for the evening were the same as his partner.

Inside his apartment, Starsky barely made it to the sofa before collapsing on the cushions with a heavy sigh of relief. He closed his eyes as a momentary wave of dizziness washed over him. He was so exhausted, he could feel it in his bones. His stomach rumbled with hunger but picking up the phone and calling for a pizza to be delivered sounded like too much effort and he simply didn't have the energy. His eyelids dropped heavily and closed. Soon he was sleeping soundly, slouched in an awkward position on the sofa.

The soft thud of the morning newspaper hitting his front door startled Starsky awake. He gasped as his neck and back soundly protested the night spent on the couch. Carefully shoving himself to his feet, he slowly made his way into the bathroom, hoping that a hot shower would work out all the kinks. He pulled off his clothes and let them fall in an untidy heap on the bathroom floor. Reaching into the shower stall, he turned on the water, adjusting the spray to the temperature he preferred. A light steam began to fill the air as he stepped beneath the soothing spray. He turned his face up into the mist of water and closed his eyes, letting the water wash over his face and curls. The water ran down over his torso, easing and relaxing his tense, strained muscles. Finally, he soaped up his body, cleaning himself thoroughly, and shampooed his thick dark hair.

Turning off the water, he stepped out of the stall and reached for a thick terrycloth towel that was draped over the rod on the wall. He swayed unsteadily as another wave of dizziness swept over him, accompanied by an unexpected surge of nausea. Choking back the bile that threatened to spill from his throat, he took several deep breathes until he had the nausea under control. Grabbing the towel, he dried himself off briskly and stepped up to the sink to finish his morning routine. Bright feverish eyes stared back at him from the mirror, accented by a slight flush on his cheeks. _Shit! This was no time to get fucking sick. They were short handed enough as it was._ He knew that he would have to be on his guard to keep Hutch from finding out that he wasn't feeling well or the big blond would insist on dragging him off to the doctor.

With the utmost care, he brushed his teeth and shaved. Retreating to his bedroom, he pulled on a pair of his favorite blue jeans and a red tee shirt. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he put on his shoes and socks. He paused for a moment when he had finished so that he could catch his breath. The simple act of dressing had left him feeling tired and lightheaded. Shoving himself to his feet, he trudged towards the kitchen to put on some coffee.

He drank two cups of coffee and forced down two slices of lightly buttered toast. He hoped that the food would decide to stay down and not make a repeat appearance anytime soon. Grabbing his shoulder holster from the peg he hung it on at night, he slipped it on and fastened it securely. He pulled out his weapon and checked the chamber to make sure it was loaded and that the safety was on before slipping it back beneath his right armpit. He shrugged into a light windbreaker to conceal his gun and headed out the door to pick Hutch up for work.

He pasted a smile on his face when he pulled up in front of Hutch's apartment building at Venice Place. The big blond was waiting at the curb and slid into the Torino with a cheerful greeting. Starsky grunted in reply and pulled back out into the early morning traffic.

"What's the matter, Starsky?" Hutch asked "Not enough caffeine this morning?"

"Something like that." The brunet mumbled, keeping his eyes on the road and avoiding eye contact with his partner. The nausea had subsided but he still felt lightheaded with a throbbing ache in his head that seemed to have settled in at the base of his skull. He had a feeling it was going to be a long day. He knew that he wouldn't be able to conceal the fact that he wasn't feeling well from Hutch for very long. He was too perceptive and too tuned in to Starsky's normal behavior.

He did manage to keep it hidden from Hutch for most of the morning but when Starsky declined lunch, Hutch knew that something was wrong. Starsky never turned down food. He cast a sharp glance at this partner, immediately noting the pallor to his olive complexion and the weariness in his sapphire eyes. When he reached out to check Starsky's forehead for a fever, the brunet swatted his hand away in irritation.

"Knock it off, Hutch." He growled "I'm fine…it's probably just a touch of the flu that's been going around."

"You should be at home in bed." Hutch chided him gently "I'm going to tell Dobey you're not feeling well and log us out early."

"Aww…come on, Hutch…" Starsky whined plaintively. Ignoring his protests, Hutch reached for the mike concealed under the dash and pressed the transmit button, requesting to be patched through to Caption Dobey.

When Dobey came on the line, Hutch said,

"Cap, it's Hutch. Starsky's not feeling well. I think he's coming down with the flu that's been going around so I'm going to take him home."

"Alright," Dobey growled, his normally gruff attitude hiding a soft spot for his two favorite detectives. "And you tell him to keep his ass at home until he's better. I don't need him spreading it around to the rest of the squad. We're short handed enough as it is."

"Yes, sir." Hutch said with a satisfied grin at his partner. He hung the mike back in it's usual spot and leaned back in the seat, keeping a careful eye on his partner as Starsky turned the Torino in the opposite direction and headed towards his apartment. Despite his grumbling, Starsky really didn't feel well at all and going home sounded like a good idea after all.

By the time he reached his apartment, Starsky was feeling too ill to put up much resistance when Hutch insisted on helping him into his apartment. He leaned heavily against his partner as Hutch guided him inside and to the comfort of his bed. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, not even noticing when Hutch began undressing him so he would be more comfortable.

While Starsky slept, Hutch gathered up the things he might need to help Starsky through a bad case of the flu. Towels, extra blankets and sheets, cold medicine, a thermometer to check his temperature and aspirin. He knew that there should be several cans of soup in the kitchen cabinet, along with an assortment of broth, and juice in the refrigerator. Despite his tough, street-wise exterior, whenever Starsky was hurt or sick, Hutch turned into a real softie with a gentle, loving touch. It was a side of the big blond that few people other than Starsky was ever allowed to see.

When his preparations were complete, Hutch pulled the tall wing backed chair into the bedroom and sat it at the foot of Starsky's bed where he could watch over his ailing friend.


	3. Chapter 3

VIRUS

**VIRUS**

**Chapter 3**

Hutch frowned as he looked at the reading on the thermometer, Starsky's fever was up to 102 and showed no signs of coming down anytime soon. The brunet's face was covered with sweat but his skin was hot and dry to touch. Hutch gently slipped one arm under the dark curls and lifted Starsky's body up from the bed just enough to hold the glass of water against his parched lips to try and get some badly needed fluids into his friend.

"Come on, babe…" he said in a soft, encouraging voice "You have to drink something for me." Starsky moaned softly and tried to swat Hutch's hand away, refusing to drink. Not to be deterred, Hutch tipped the glass and let some of the water drip into the brunet's mouth. Almost immediately, Starsky began to gag. Quickly, Hutch grabbed the basin sitting on the nightstand and held it while Starsky's body rejected the fluids. Since his stomach was empty, all he vomited was a little bile before his retching turned into painful dry heaves. When the gut wrenching heaves finally stopped, Starsky flopped back against the pillow, panting heavily. Hutch wet a washcloth and gently bathed the beloved face. He knew that Starsky was on the verge of becoming dangerously dehydrated. If he couldn't get him to keep some liquids down soon, he would have no choice but to take him to the hospital.

It had been almost two days since Starsky had come down with this particularly nasty strain of the flu. His condition had deteriorated too quickly for Hutch's taste and the big blond was beyond worried. The high fever and retched vomiting was quickly depleting Starsky's natural reserve of energy. With a heavy sigh, Hutch made the only decision he could. He reached for the phone and called for an ambulance. Starsky needed more care than Hutch was able to provide at the moment. The brunet could kick his ass later for taking him to the hospital.

Hutch paced the floor impatiently as he waited for help to arrive. Starsky appeared to have fallen back into a deep, restless slumber. His face twitched in his sleep and his breathing had a harsh wheezing sound that bothered Hutch. When the ambulance arrived, Hutch hurried ushered the two paramedics into the bedroom, hovering anxiously in the background as they checked Starsky's vital signs and prepared him for transport.

Fragments of the conversation between the two paramedics as they worked did little to calm Hutch's nerves "_Low blood pressure….dehydration…build up of fluid in the lungs…high fever…"_

Finally, the two men loaded Starsky on the portable gurney and wheeled him out of the apartment with Hutch close behind. As they loaded the stretcher into the back of the waiting ambulance, one of the paramedics held out a hand when Hutch started to climb on board to join his partner.

"I'm sorry, Hutch." Rick Barnet said gently. "There's not enough room. Dave's in pretty bad shape and we need the room to be able to work on him. You'll have to follow us." The young paramedic and his partner had worked with the two detectives often in the past and were both familiar with their unique bond, especially when one of them was hurt or ill. In the past, they had often bent the rules where the two friends were concerned but this was one time that he had to tell Hutch no. He saw the disappointed look that crossed the handsome blond's face but Hutch didn't argue. He jogged over to Starsky's car and quickly climbed behind the wheel, the powerful engine roaring to life. Rick pulled shut the rear door to the ambulance as his partner pulled into the street. He heard the Torino's siren echoing the siren on the ambulance as they raced towards the hospital.

The recent flu epidemic had kept them busy. Several people, primarily the elderly or young children had already been hospitalized. Rick paid careful attention to his patient as the ambulance raced through the busy mid day traffic. He didn't like the sound of Starsky's breathing or the pinched, tight look on his ruggedly handsome face. This was by far one of the worst cases of the flu Rick had seen so far and it seemed to have hit the brunet especially hard.

At the hospital, Starsky was rushed into one of the examination rooms while Hutch was left behind to fill out the necessary paperwork. After signing the brunet in, Hutch found a phone to call Captain Dobey and tell him about Starsky's admission to the hospital. Then he waited, pacing the waiting room like a caged tiger, drawing some anxious looks from the medical staff and other visitors.

It wasn't long before Hutch was joined in his vigil by Caption Dobey and a good friend of the two detectives, Huggy Bear, a local bar owner and part time informant. Huggy immediately got Hutch some coffee from one of the vending machines while Captain Dobey coaxed the big blond into sitting down in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs in the waiting room.

"He's sick, Cap…really sick." Hutch said in a quiet, almost detached voice, as he accepted the offering of coffee from Huggy. He held the cup loosely in his hands without drinking it.

"This flu is a really nasty little bug." Huggy said, sliding into a seat beside Hutch "Anita and Diane are both sick with it. But Curly's gonna be fine. The doctor's will fix him right up. You'll see."

Since Starsky had almost died the year before in an assassination attempt in the police parking garage, Hutch had been even more protective of his best friend and his health. Starsky had gone through hell fighting his way back to the job he loved. Although he had beaten all odds, he had been left with a severely weakened left lung that was especially prone of viral infections. A simple cold could easily turn into pneumonia if Starsky wasn't careful. Hutch was constantly on guard for anything that could jeopardize Starsky's welfare. He felt overwhelmed with guilt, afraid that he had waited too long this time to get Starsky the medical treatment he needed. But, he knew how much Starsky hated being in the hospital.

Since the shooting, the burnet had developed a paranoia about being hospitalized for any reason. After all he had gone through after the shooting, he had insisted having his lawyer draw up papers, stating quite clearly his wishes not to be kept alive by artificial means if he were ever in a life threatening situation again. He had also signed a DNR order which stated that he did not wish to be revived if his heart ever stopped again like it did after the shooting. Hutch had objected strenuously but Starsky had pointed out that it was his life and his decision. The brush with death had changed the brunet dramatically. He still embraced life with his usual spontaneity and zest but he also accepted his own mortality. The legal documents were simply Starsky's way of exerting control over his eventual fate in his own way. Eventually, Hutch had come to accept that even though the thought of losing his partner and best friend still terrified him.

Hutch instinctively bounced to his feet whenever a doctor came into the waiting room with news about one of the patients in the treatment area. His shoulders sagged each time someone's name was called besides the one he needed to hear. Finally, a familiar face stepped out from behind the closed doors to the emergency area. It was Doctor Franklin, a doctor who had treated Starsky in the past and was familiar with his medical history. Hutch was on his feet and hurrying towards him before he could ever speak.

"It's all right, Ken." Doctor Franklin said when he saw the anxious, worried look in those pale blue eyes. "We have Dave stabilized and on his way to a room. We've started him on fluids and antibiotics and you can see him as soon as they get him settled in."

"Thank God." Hutch said with a relieved sigh. "So it's just the flu that's been going around?"

"It looks that way but based on David's medical history, I've ordered a full set of tests to make sure we don't miss anything that we should be aware of."

"Thanks, Doc." Hutch said with a grateful grin

"We can't be too careful with our 'miracle patient'." Doctor Franklin said with a chuckle. "Why don't you go get something to eat? It'll probably be at least half an hour before you can see David and he's sedated so he probably won't even know you're there."

"He'll know." Hutch said confidently

Doctor Franklin's eyes twinkled "Yes, I'm sure he will." During Starsky's previous hospitalizations, the doctor had witnessed first hand the unique bond between the two men. He had seen how Hutch's touch could soothe and comfort the brunet better than any medicine he could prescribe. He had already instructed the medical staff that Hutch was to be allowed unlimited access to the brunet's room. He knew that was the best medicine for Starsky right now.


	4. Chapter 4

VIRUS

**VIRUS**

**Chapter 4**

Hutch gently ran his fingers through Starsky's thick dark curls, smiling faintly when he saw the eyelids flutter slightly. "Come on, babe" he whispered encouragingly "Open those eyes for me…let me see those baby blues." Starsky made a muffled sound somewhere between a snort and a sniffle. Slowly, his eyes opened just enough for Hutch to see a hint of blue. A huge grin tugged at the big blond's lips and he said, "Hey, buddy…come on…open 'em the rest of the way for me."

Slowly, those eyes did as Hutch had asked. Starsky's pupils were dilated from the medication, the black almost hiding the brilliant sapphire blue. There was a dazed, confused look in the gaze that swept anxiously over Hutch's familiar face. Starsky's right hand fluttered in the air, searching for the comfort of Hutch's touch. Hutch grabbed the searching hand and held on tightly, concerned at the coolness of Starsky's skin.

"Hey, babe." Hutch said fondly to attract Starsky's wandering attention.

"Hu'sh…" Starsky said, slurring Hutch's name the way he always did when he was stoned on pain meds. It always amused Hutch to hear Starsky sound like he was telling him to be quiet. Alert enough to know that Hutch was there and that he was safe, Starsky cradled the side of his face against Hutch's hand like a cat looking for a rub. Hutch chuckled softly and scratched his fingers against the brunet's temple affectionately.

"Hey…how you feeling?"

"Lousy…" Starsky said, the effort of talking rapidly depleting his energy. He struggled to draw a deep breath into his congested lungs. The wheezing sound of his labored breathing filled the air. Long dark lashes brushed against his cheeks for a moment before those glazed eyes flickered open again, locking on Hutch's face as if it were his salvation. "Hospital…" he mumbled.

Hutch knew it was not a question. He nodded slightly and tightened his fingers around Starsky's hand. "I had to do it, buddy. You were too dehydrated and your fever wasn't coming down. You gave me a pretty bad scare there for a minute."

Starsky nodded and his eyes closed again. This time they stayed closed and his breathing eased and deepened as he fell into a deep, healing slumber. Hutch kept hold of his hand, unconcerned about the conclusions the nurses might jump too when they came in to check on Starsky. He had become immune to the second glances and snide remarks when it came to the depth of his relationship with Starsky. He no longer questioned the need that the brunet fulfilled in his life. Starsky was as much a part of Hutch as Hutch was of Starsky. Two halves of the same whole, truly complete only when they were together.

He glanced up as the door opened and Doctor Franklin stepped into the room. Without a word, he quickly checked Starsky's vital signs and assessed his condition. When he had finished, he nodded his head towards the door, gesturing for Hutch to join him in the hallway. Hutch nodded and gently laid Starsky's hand down on the bed before rising to his feet and following the doctor out of the room.

"Let's step into the doctor's lounge for a moment." The doctor said, leading the way down the hall to a room on the left. As they stepped inside, Doctor Franklin flipped the sign on the outside of the door so that it read "Do Not Disturb". He shut the door securely and then looked at the big blond with a guarded look in his eyes.

"What's up?" Hutch asked in a tightly controlled voice. He felt a fist of steel clamping down around his heart at the expression on the older man's face and somehow he knew that the news he was about to give him was not going to be pleasant.

"I just reviewed the results of the preliminary tests that we ran on David." The doctor intoned solemnly "The tests have turned up an unidentified virus in his system that appears to be related to his current symptoms."

"Are you saying that he doesn't have the flu that's been going around?"

"Yes. Although the symptoms are similar to the recent strain of flu that's infecting people in the city, the virus in David's system is something completely different. I've never seen anything like it before."

"You mean you don't know what this virus is or how he got it?" Hutch demanded in a stunned voice.

"I'm afraid not."

"But you can still treat it, right?"

"We can treat the symptoms and hopefully keep David as comfortable as possible but we can't effectively treat the virus without knowing more about it."

"So find out more about it!" Hutch snapped in an irritated voice, his nerves and patience stretched to the limit. His main concern, his only concern, was for Starsky and his well being. The news about Starsky's present condition brought back unpleasant memories of Hutch's own bout with a mysterious plague a few months ago that had almost killed him and half the city. He would have died if Starsky hadn't made a deal with the international hit man that was the carrier, convincing him to come in so the doctors could use his blood to made an antidote that saved hundreds of people.

"It's not that simple. Viruses often evolve over time and become resistant to standard medical procedures. That makes it difficult to determine a course of treatment. We're tying to isolate the properties of this particular virus but that's going to take some time."

"How much time?"

"Days, maybe even longer. We do know that this particular virus is not responding favorably to our typical treatment methods."

"You mean Starsky is going to get worse? Is this virus contagious?"

"Yes, I'm afraid that David's condition may continue to deteriorate unless we can find some answers soon. And no, as far as we can determine, the virus doesn't seem to be spread through direct contact so we shouldn't have to worry about other cases developing. I have put in a call to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta to see if they have ever encountered this particular virus before. If they have, that will at least give us some direction in David's case."

"Could he…" Hutch said, stopping momentarily as his mouth refused to voice the thoughts that screamed through his mind. He took a deep shuddering breath and voiced his greatest fear. "Could Starsky die from this if you can't find a cure in time?"

"That's a possibility that we can't rule out at this point. This particular virus appears to systematically attack all the major systems in the patient's body causing a variety of problems…a high fever, dehydration, vomiting, nausea, muscle spasms, fluid building up in his lungs. All we can do is treat each symptom individually as it occurs while we continue to try and isolate the source of the virus." His eyes softened and he reached out to lay a comforting hand on Hutch's shoulder. "Rest assured that we are doing everything humanly possible to help David."

Hutch nodded and gently pulled away from the doctor's touch. It wasn't his touch that Hutch needed the most right now. "I have to get back to Starsky." He said grimly, turning on his heel and leaving the room. He hurried back to Starsky's room and resumed his vigil at his ailing partner's side. His mind was reeling with this new information. _Why did things like this always seem to happen to Starsky? Was this it? Was this the end? Was he going to lose his partner this time?_

A sob caught in Hutch's throat. He couldn't imagine his life without Starsky in it. Without Starsky at his side, Hutch knew that he would have no life. At least not one worth living. And this time, there was no bad guy to go after to vent his revenge on. No one to bring to justice. All he could do was to wait and pray that the doctors would find some answers in time to save his best friend's life. Regardless, Hutch knew that his place was here at his partner's side for the duration.

He made a mental note to call Captain Dobey with this latest development. He also needed to call Gretchen. He had promised to let her know if Starsky's condition worsened. She had stopped by the hospital to visit the brunet while he was still unconscious, visibly upset and worried about him. Hutch decided to wait before making the one call that he didn't want to have to make and that was the one to Starsky's mother back in New York. Rachel Starsky had suffered a mild stroke recently and any bad news about her eldest son could be detrimental to her own health. Whenever Starsky was hospitalized, he always insisted that his mother not be called unless there was no choice so he wouldn't worry her unnecessarily. Hutch bowed his head and offered a silent prayer to a God he was no longer sure he believed in to watch over Starsky.


	5. Chapter 5

VIRUS

**VIRUS**

**Chapter 5**

Gretchen hesitated outside the door before quietly stepping into David's hospital room. Hutch had called her and told her about the newest development in David's case and she needed to see for herself that he was all right. A faintly amused smile crossed her lips when she saw Hutch sitting at Starsky's side, dozing in the uncomfortable plastic chair, one hand tightly clenching Starsky's right hand through the side rail of the bed. David was sleeping too, breathing a bit easier than he had been earlier in the day.

She examined the olive skinned face with a practiced eye. There were tiny lines of pain etched around the corners of Starsky's eyes and mouth, a muscle twitching in his cheek every so often even as he slept. Awake, the brunet was a perpetual ball of energy, always on the go, never standing still with a wicked sense of humor. Asleep, he reminded her of a little boy worn out from a hard day at play. It was the only time he was completely at ease and still.

As if sensing her presence, Hutch's eyes flew open and he turned his head to stare at her. He raised a finger to his lips, signaling for her to be quiet so that she wouldn't disturb the brunet's rest. Gretchen nodded as she quietly walked over to stand beside Hutch.

"Is he doing any better?" she whispered in a subdued voice.

"They gave him a breathing treatment earlier that helped clear up his lungs." Hutch whispered back. "They're still running tests to try and find out more about the virus that's making him sick."

"But, he's going to be okay. Right?"

"I hope so." Hutch told her, reluctant to share the doctors grim prognosis concerning the brunet's condition. "The doctors are doing everything they can to get this thing under control."

"I have to go out of town on business for a few days but I wanted to stop by and see Dave for a while before I left. Looks like I picked a bad time to visit."

Hutch's attention quickly shifted to Starsky when the brunet shifted restlessly on the bed and his eyelashes fluttered against his cheeks. The sapphire eyes slowly opened and looked around the room, finally coming to rest on Hutch's face. The eyes were dull and confused but more alert than they had been.

"Hey," he said in a hoarse voice gifting Hutch with a crooked smile. His eyes lit up when he saw Gretchen standing beside his partner. "Hey, pretty lady…" he said

"Hey, yourself." Gretchen said with a smile, leaning down to brush her lips lightly across his mouth. "How do you feel?"

"I'll be okay. Don't you worry your pretty little head about me." Starsky said confidently. His brave words were contradicted by a sudden cough as he tried to rid his overtaxed lungs of the excess fluid.

"Why don't I go get some coffee so you two can visit for a while?" Hutch suggested. He smiled at his partner and added, "You be nice and I'll bring you back a milkshake."

"Chocolate." Starsky ordered as Hutch walked out of the room leaving him alone to visit with his girlfriend.

In the hallway, Hutch wandered past the nurse's station to the elevator and stepped inside, pressing the button for the first floor cafeteria. He hated hospitals almost as much as Starsky did. He felt as if he had spent more than his share of time in places like this, either as a patient or waiting for Starsky to recover from his latest injury. He had become accustomed to sleeping in awkward positions in uncomfortable plastic chairs that were much too small for his lanky frame. Sleeping fitfully with the muted sound of the intercom system in the background. Half of him constantly on the alert for any sign of distress from his injured partner. Time and time again, he had watched the resilient brunet battle his way back to health from the most horrendous injuries, seldom complaining despite his pain. But this time, Hutch was afraid that Starsky's luck may have finally run out.

The thought of a life without Starsky by his side terrified Hutch. They had always joked about going out together in a blaze of glory so that neither one of them would be left behind alone to grieve for the other one. Joking about it made it easier for them to face the fears they couldn't talk about out loud. After coming so close to losing Starsky to the bullets from the hired assassins in the police garage, Hutch already knew that he would never be able to survive losing his partner. He had already decided that if he ever lost Starsky, he would eat a bullet before he would go on alone.

Most of the time, it seemed as if Starsky was the only good thing in his life, the only thing that kept Hutch from losing it. He was the only person who had ever accepted Hutch for who he was with all of his faults and insecurities. Starsky was the only one who gave Hutch unconditional love and expected so little in return. Their lives were too intertwined, too interdependent on each other, to survive for long on their own. The grief alone, the loss of the most important person in their life, would be enough to kill them.

Hutch shook his head to rid himself of his morbid thoughts of death as he made his way to the cafeteria for a well deserved break. He refused to leave Starsky alone unless someone he trusted was with him. Usually that was Huggy Bear or Captain Dobey but Gretchen would fit the bill nicely, at least for a short period of time. Ultimately, Hutch didn't completely trust anyone to care for Starsky as well as he could.

He took the time for a cup of coffee and a taco salad before returning to Starsky's room. Gretchen was leaning over giving Starsky a sultry goodbye kiss when he walked into the room. She blushed slightly when she straightened up and caught Hutch's amused smile.

"I was just leaving." She said "I'll leave a number where I can be reached at the nurse's station. Take good care of him while I'm gone."

"I will." Hutch promised, holding door for her as she left. Grinning, the big blond walked over to his partner's bedside. The brunet had a Cheshire grin plastered on his face but Hutch could see that the short visit had tired him out. He smoothed out the blanket covering Starsky's lower body and said quietly, "Why don't you get some sleep? You look beat."

"I guess I could use a little nap." Starsky admitted with a jaw cracking yawn. He settled down against the pillows and closed his eyes. Within a matter of minutes, he was sleeping soundly. Hutch had always envied Starsky's ability to fall asleep so quickly, even in a cramped back seat during a long stakeout. Hutch usually tossed and turned for twenty minutes or so before he fell asleep at night and he was never comfortable sleeping anywhere except in his own bed.

Satisfied that Starsky would sleep peacefully for a while, Hutch slipped out of the room to call Captain Dobey. He called him at home, smiling when his young daughter, Rosie, picked up the phone.

"Dobey residence. May I help you?" she said in her innocent, sweet little voice, doing her best to sound mature and grown up as she answered the phone the way she had been taught.

"Hi, Rosie Posey." Hutch said "It's Uncle Hutch. Can I talk to your Daddy?"

"Uncle Hutch!" Rosie squealed in an excited voice. "Are you with Uncle Dave? Is he feeling better? Daddy said he was sick and you were taking care of him."

"Yes, I'm taking good care of him."

"You better. I wanted to come see him but Daddy said I can't cause he might catch my germs."

Hutch chuckled. No matter how tired or discouraged he was Rosie could always cheer him up with her innocent chatter. "I know he'd like to see you too and hopefully he'll be well enough soon that you can visit him. Can I talk to Daddy?"

"Yes. I'll get him. Give Uncle Dave a big hug and kiss for me, okay?" There was a soft thud as Rosie laid down the phone so she could fetch her father. A few seconds later, Captain Dobey's gruff voice came over the phone.

"Hutchinson?" he said "How's Starsky?"

"He seems to be doing better but the doctors don't think that will last." Hutch told him. "The reason I called is because the doctors said this virus isn't contagious, so that means that somebody had to have infected Starsky with it somehow. I want you to send a team to Starsky's place. Have them get a sample of everything he might have eaten or drank…and tell them not to forget samples of his toothpaste, mouthwash and any medications he might have in the bathroom. Anything that somebody could have put something in to infect him with this bug."

"Sounds like a good idea. I'll get on it right away." Dobey said. He paused and then added "Do you really think that somebody infected Starsky with this deliberately?"

"I hope not but I want to make sure. I don't know how else he could have gotten it."

"You've got a point." Dobey said glumly. "I'll get on it. Keep me posted on Starsky's condition."

"I will" Hutch promised. He hung up and made his way back to Starsky's room to watch over his sleeping partner for the rest of the evening.


	6. Chapter 6

VIRUS

**VIRUS**

**Chapter 6**

By morning, Starsky's condition had deteriorated. His fever was back up and his breathing labored as his lungs began to fill with fluid. His head moved restlessly back and forth on the pillow, a low moan escaping periodically from his dry parched lips. All Hutch could do was sit helplessly by his side, bathing the sweaty feverish face with a wet cloth. Hutch spoke to the brunet in a calm, soothing voice, letting the sound of his voice offer the only comfort he could for the seriously ill brunet.

During his more rational periods, Starsky would reach for Hutch's hand, holding on tightly, using it as his lifeline to keep him grounded and secure. The nurses and the rest of the medical staff drifted in and out of the room, checking his vital signs, making notes on his chart, taking samples of his blood and keeping an eye on the exhausted blond at his side. Most of the nurses and technicians were familiar with the two police officers from previous stays in the hospital and were sincerely touched by the unique bond they shared. A couple of the nurses had even dated either Hutch or Starsky in the past and found them to be perfect gentlemen.

"Hutch," a pretty nurse named Cindy said as she brought in a tray and carefully set it on the bedside table. "I brought you some tea and something to eat…and I want you to eat it."

"Thanks." Hutch acknowledged her orders but his entire attention remained focused on Starsky.

"I mean it." Cindy warned him in a scolding tone "I want to see that food gone when I get back." She turned and left the room on quiet, rubber soled shoes. She knew from experience that Hutch would neglect his own health while he was worrying about the welfare of his friend. She hoped that he would at least take the time to eat part of the food she had brought him. Familiar with his tastes, she had made sure to bring healthy choices to tempt his appetite; freshly cut melon, a fresh salad with the dressing on the side, and a rich bowl of chicken soup. She had added a pot of herbal tea that she had made from her own personal stash in the break room. If the tray had been for Starsky, her choices would have been drastically different. She was one of the few nurses who had dated both men in the past and was familiar with their personal likes and their dislikes.

After she had left the room, Hutch continued to minister to his friend, ignoring the tray of food. He glanced up as the door to the room opened and Doctor Franklin entered the room accompanied by two unfamiliar faces. Both of the other men were roughly Hutch's age, one with sandy colored hair and a crooked nose while the other man was tall and thin with closely cut black hair and pale blue eyes.

"Ken Hutchinson," Doctor Franklin said "This is Doctor Ben Walgreen" he nodded at the tall thin man by way of an introduction, "And his associate, Doctor Peter Barnes. They're from the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta."

"We're pleased to meet you, Detective Hutchinson." Doctor Barnes said, using Hutch's formal title. "I just wish it could be under different circumstances."

"So do I." Hutch said with a hint of irritation in his voice. More doctors meant more tests and more discomfort for Starsky.

"We are very interested in your partner's case." Doctor Barnes continued. "It's very similar to four other cases that have been identified in various parts of the United States in the past five years. We're hoping to find some kind of common denominator to link the cases together."

"What happened to the other victims?" Hutch asked, voicing the only question he cared to know the answer to.

"I'm sorry to say…that they all died from this particular virus." Doctor Walgreen answered for his colleague.

Hutch turned to glare at the three doctors, his eyes as cold as chips of blue ice. "That's not gonna happen to Starsky!" he hissed through tightly clenched teeth. "If you've dealt with this virus before than surely you must know something about it! You must have some kind of vaccine you can use…"

"I'm afraid not." Doctor Barnes said in a sympathetic tone. This was the part he hated the most, telling distraught friends and family members that just because he worked for the Center for Disease Control, he was not a miracle worker. "We can track the progress of the virus and slow it down but that's about the best we can do."

"THEN WHAT FUCKING USE ARE YOU?" Hutch yelled angrily. He lowered his voice when Starsky shifted positions and groaned at the sudden noise level in the room. Quickly turning his attention back to the brunet, he reached out and gently ran his fingers through the thick soft curls. "Shhhhh…it's okay, babe…go back to sleep." Starsky relaxed immediately, falling back into a deep drugged slumber. Moving away from the brunet's side, Hutch approached the three doctors, fire in his eyes as he confronted them. "Are you trying to tell me that there's nothing you can do for him? With all your education and fancy degrees…all your knowledge…he's going to die from this thing?'

"There's only so much anyone can do for Detective Starsky." Doctor Walgreen said, undisturbed by Hutch's self righteous outburst. "We just don't know enough about this virus to fight it. All we do know is that so far in the four other cases, it has been fatal. One by one it attacks all the major systems in the patient's body, shutting them down until they're too weak to survive without life support and even then, it's just a matter of time until their hearts just stop."

"How long?" Hutch asked, trying to keep his voice as calm and level as possible despite the fact that the doctors had essentially just passed a death sentence on the brunet.

"It varies with each case depending on the physical condition and medical history of the patient. Two of the other patients died within a few days, the other two held on for a few weeks." Doctor Barnes told him. "Based on what we've been told about your partner's physical condition and previous medical history…it's hard to say. He could be one of the lucky ones and last for a few weeks. From what we've been told he is obviously a fighter and has a strong will to live. That's definitely in his favor."

"So what are you going to do now that you're here?" Hutch asked

"Running some tests…monitoring his condition closely. Adding some new medications and treatments that will help slow down the virus and should make him more comfortable." Doctor Walgreen said. "We can talk more later. Right now, we'd like to review your friend's chart in more detail and make some recommendations for his care. Although we know that the virus is not contagious and isn't spread by direct contact, we will be putting him under isolation to limit outside contact. As his system weakens, he will be more vulnerable to other infections and germs."

Hutch nodded absently. The three doctors quietly left the room. Slowly, Hutch turned and walked back to his partner's side. Sinking down in the chair beside the bed, he picked up the washcloth and wet it, gently wiping the sweat from Starsky feverish brow.

_Is this it, buddy? Am I really going to lose you this time? After all those close calls out there on the streets, after Gunther…is some stupid virus going be the thing that does you in? It's not fair…it's just not fair. I'm not ready to let you go…I never will be._

Even though Hutch had not spoken his thoughts out loud, Starsky seemed to sense the big blond's distress. His hand raised feebly, his fingers wiggling until Hutch grasped his hand and held on tightly. Starsky's fingers automatically tightened around Hutch's hand even though the brunet still appeared to be asleep. Even as sick as the brunet was he was still trying to comfort Hutch.


	7. Chapter 7

VIRUS

**VIRUS**

**A/N: I am trying to get this story posted as quickly as possible. After July 7****th****, my access to the internet will be limited, not sure for how long. I apologize in advance if I am not able to complete this story before then. **

**Chapter 7**

By the next morning, Starsky appeared to have rallied once more. The fever had broken during the night and he was breathing easier. He listened calmly as Hutch explained what he knew about the virus that was raging inside the brunet.

"Just like Bellamy, huh?" Starsky said dryly "Only this time I got more than twenty-four hours. It sounds like we're not going be so lucky this time. You're not going be able to come up with the vaccine to save me at the last minute."

"Christ, Starsky! Don't talk like that! There's still a chance. There's always a chance!"

"Yeah, one in a million? I wouldn't take any odds on that. They suck." Starsky said, falling back on black humor to deal with the overwhelming emotions that were washing over him. He sighed heavily. He knew this the was even harder on Hutch than it was on him. Starsky had already died once. He wasn't afraid of death, but he was afraid of leaving Hutch behind. Somehow he had to find a way to help Hutch accept the inevitability of his probable death. "You'll have to call Ma. She'll skin us both alive if you don't."

"I will." Hutch promised. His voice was strong but Starsky saw the glint of tears in his eyes.

"But wait a couple of days, okay? I don't think I can deal with her being here right now."

"Okay."

"And remember your promise. If it gets as bad as they say it will…don't let them put me on those fucking machines…just let me go with a little dignity left." Starsky said. He saw the flash of pain that twisted Hutch's face into a grimace but chose to ignore it.

Hutch nodded, unable to speak. This was a conversation that he didn't want to have. Not now. Not ever. He knew how strongly Starsky felt about this even if Hutch didn't entirely agree with his decision. Starsky had been through so much in his relatively short life. He had the right to make the final choices concerning his own death. Most people weren't given that kind of choice. Starsky reached out and grasped Hutch's hand.

"I'm scared, Starsk." Hutch admitted in a ragged whisper.

"And you think I'm not?" Starsky said with a crooked smile. "Hey, everybody has to go sometime…some of us sooner than others. It's not so bad…I've already done it once, remember?"

"Shut up, Starsk." Hutch growled "I don't wanna talk about losing you."

"You wanna talk about the weather? That's no fun." Starsky said lightly. "There's no snow here. Not that I miss the cold…but I do miss the seeing snow at Christmas. Not that the snow ever looked that great back in New York…unless you like gray slush."

Starsky knew that he was rambling but he knew that it would calm the agitated blond.

Hutch smiled faintly. "I should have taken you back to Minnesota with me more often for Christmas." He said. Although Hutch had been estranged from his family for years, after Starsky almost died, he had made a real effort to mend the rift between them. His efforts had been only partially successful. His parents were too wrapped up in their own lives and social status to worry much about mending any bridges with their oldest child and their only son. They still resented his choice of a career and they weren't that fond of Starsky, another issue that had caused their estrangement. He had managed to resume a relationship with his younger sister, Karen, and they were closer now than they had ever been. She was the only member of his immediate family that he called and wrote to on a regular basis. And she adored Starsky which was a big plus in her favor. He knew that she would be devastated if the brunet didn't make it.

"Naw, your family is a little too snooty for me." Starsky said with a grin "Except for Karen of course. She's the only one that seems half way normal…present company excluded of course." Hutch playfully swatted Starsky's shoulder at his teasing. They both chuckled, easing the tension in the air.

They spent the rest of the afternoon watching TV, playing a game of gin, and just enjoying each other's company the way they always had. If it weren't for the cloud hanging over Starsky's medical condition, things could have passed for normal. After taking his nighttime meds, Starsky settled down for the evening.

"Hutch, I want you to go home and get a decent nights sleep." Starsky insisted as he got comfortable in the bed. "You look terrible and, no offense, but you need a shower. You're starting to smell a little rank, pal."

"Yeah, well I don't have a pretty nurse to come in and give me a sponge bath every day." Hutch teased him.

"I'll trade you places." Starsky said falling easily into their usual banter.

"I would if I could…in a heartbeat." Hutch said sincerely.

"I know you would." Starsky said fondly. "But you can't…now get out of here and get some sleep. Bring me a milkshake in the morning, okay?"

"You got it. Chocolate?"

"Of course. What other flavor is there?"

Hutch hesitated then reached down to smooth out Starsky's blanket, receiving a warning glance from the brunet for his trouble. Squaring his shoulders, he said, "I'll be here first thing in the morning." He turned and left the room, his shoulders sagging wearily once he was out of the brunet's sight. He hated leaving Starsky's side, even for one night. He was secretly terrified that something would happen while he was gone and he wouldn't be there to say goodbye. The two friends had promised each other years ago that they would be there for each other, that neither one of them would ever have to die alone. And that was a promise that Hutch intended to keep.

He stopped at the nurse's station on his way out. Jackie Edwards, a older woman with salt and pepper hair, was on duty so he knew that Starsky would be in good hands. She was the motherly type who enjoyed spoiling the brunet half of the duo. She looked up and smiled warmly as Hutch paused at the desk.

"Are you finally going to go home and get some real sleep?" she chided him.

"Starsky's orders." Hutch told her with a grin. His smile faded and his expression turned solemn "Call me if he needs me for anything."

"I will, love. You know that." She reassured him. "Don't worry. I'll take good care of him for you."

"I know you will." Hutch said gratefully.

"David is lucky to have a friend like you. So many of our patients don't have families as close as you two are."

"I'm the lucky one." Hutch told her. He turned and continued on to the elevator. Outside, the night air was cool with a mild breeze and a full moon. Hutch walked across the parking lot to his battered LTD and climbed inside. The engine coughed a few times before finally starting and he pulled out of the lot, heading for Starsky's apartment instead of his own.

It was a habit that he had started when Starsky was in the hospital after Gunther's attack. Spending his time away from the hospital at Starsky's apartment instead of his own helped him feel closer to his partner. In Starsky's domain surrounded by his personal possessions, Hutch felt calm and at peace. They both kept extra clothes at each other's apartments, so a change of clothes was no problem and, although Hutch would never admit it to Starsky, he preferred Starsky's king sized waterbed to his own orthopedic mattress.

Arriving at the brunet's apartment, Hutch parked in the driveway and used the extra key on his key ring to let himself inside. The apartment was neat and clean, as usual. Most of his friends would have been surprised to learn that Starsky was such a neat freak when it came to his home. It seemed out of character with the rest of his outgoing personality. But that was just one of the fascinating facets of the brunet's unique behavior that made Starsky who he was. Hutch turned on the overhead light in the living room and crossed the room to open a window to let some fresh air into the apartment.

He opened the refrigerator and grabbed a cold beer along with some cold meat to make a sandwich. After his impromptu snack, he went into the bathroom and stripped off his clothes, relaxing with a long, hot shower. Leaving his clothes lying on the bathroom floor, he wrapped a towel around his slender waist and padded back into the living room where he turned off the lights and locked the door securely. Going into the bedroom, he collapsed on the bed and quickly fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

VIRUS

**VIRUS**

**A/N: Going to be out of town for the weekend, so as a special treat am posting two chapters**

**Chapter 8**

"Can you give me the names of the other four victims and where they lived?" Hutch asked Doctor Barnes, watching carefully as he drew a vial of blood from Starsky's forearm.

"I suppose I could. I don't see any harm in it. May I ask why you want to know?" the doctor asked with a curious glance at the big blond. He was more than a little intimidated by the man and his temper. He hovered over his friend like a lioness protecting her cub, questioning every test and every bit of medication that the doctors gave him. When the brunet was awake, he just smiled indulgently at his friend's behavior.

"Humor me. I'm a cop." Hutch said "I want to check them out. See if I can find any connection between them."

"We've already done. We didn't find anything."

"Maybe you just didn't look in the right places. You've got nothing to lose by letting me take a shot at it." Hutch said "Maybe I'll come up empty too…but cops are suspicious by nature and it just seems a little coincidental to me that there's been four separate victims in the past five years…all dead because of some mysterious unidentified virus that you've never seen before and you still have no idea how any of them got infected with it in the first place."

"I'll get the information together for you and have it ready for you this afternoon."

"Thank you."

The doctor finished drawing the blood and left the room. Starsky's fever was up again but so far his lungs had remained clear. But he had developed new symptoms that clearly showed that the virus was still hard at work. He was nauseated most of the time and vomited frequently, the sight and smell of food enough to make him sick. He also suffered from debilitating muscle cramps that left him curled up in a fetal position on the bed, clutching his stomach, and whimpering in pain. Powerful pain medications brought him some much needed relief but put him into a drugged stupor that left him confused and disoriented. He was starting to lose weight and the doctors were considering putting him on a supplemental source of nutrition through his IV.

Hutch tried to stay positive even though it tore him apart to watch his best friend suffering so. It brought back too many painful memories that Hutch had tried desperately to forget. When Starsky had a hangnail or a mild case of the flu, he milked it for all it was worth, whining for attention. But when he was really sick or seriously injured, he got quiet and kept his suffering to himself. Over the years Hutch had become an expert on caring for Starsky and knew how to read the signs to measure the level of pain the brunet was in and when he needed to be medicated, even if Starsky objected. Hutch refused to let his stubborn partner suffer needlessly as long as it was in his power to offer him some relief.

"Hu'sh?" Starsky whispered without opening his eyes.

Hutch immediately leaned over the bedside railing and said, "Right here, pal. What do you need?"

"Water…"

Hutch reached for the pitcher of ice on the bedside table and carefully spooned a few pieces past Starsky's parched lips. The brunet sucked on the ice gratefully and opened his mouth for more. Hutch smiled affectionately. The gesture reminded him of a baby bird looking for food, all without ever opening his eyes. He gave Starsky some more of the crushed ice, hoping that he would be able to keep it down. Sometimes he could and other times, it came right back up. The doctors were concerned about dehydration and had added a second IV to help his body maintain enough fluids.

Hutch had reluctantly called Starsky's mother in New York that morning and told her about Starsky's condition. She was coming to California as soon as she could get a flight and Captain Dobey was making arrangements to pick her up at the airport. His family was graciously putting her up at their home while she was in town. Rachel Starsky was a strong women but Hutch had heard the fear and pain in her voice when he told her about the virus that was invading her eldest son's body.

Noticing that Starsky had drifted back to sleep, Hutch decided to take a short break and stretch his legs. Sometimes it felt as if the walls of the room were closing in around him, making him feel claustrophobic. Starsky had only been in the hospital for seven days but it already felt like a lifetime to Hutch.

Later that afternoon, Doctor Barnes stopped by to give him a list of the names and other information he had on the other victims of the mysterious virus. Scanning the paper the doctor had given him, Hutch immediately noticed that all four of the other victims were roughly the same age as Starsky. One was two years older and one was a year younger with the other two being the same age. Hutch frowned, wondering if that was some kind of connection and made a mental note of it. As the doctor had stated, they were all from different parts of the United States and from different lifestyles.

Making himself comfortable, Hutch found a notebook in the bedside table along with a pen. He began taking notes, writing down the most pertinent information.

The first victim to become infected was named Joe Skyler. He was 38 years old and worked as a fireman. He was a divorced father of three and lived in New Jersey. He had died within two weeks of getting sick.

The second victim was named Bruce Ryon. At 35, he was the youngest of the four victims. He was single and worked as a construction worker in Florida. He had died three months after getting sick and had lived the longest of the four victims.

The third victim was named Bill Westinghouse and he was 36. He came from a wealthy family in Texas and worked on the family ranch. He was married to his high school sweetheart. He had died 6 weeks after being infected.

The last victim was named Scott Mckenzie and he was also 36 years old. He was an alcoholic with a long criminal history that included several felonies. He was on parole at the time of his death and was working odds jobs in his neighborhood. He lived in Utah. He had three ex-wives and six children that he never saw and didn't support.

Hutch sighed as he looked at the list he had complied. The only similarity he could see between the four victims was their ages. He decided to call Minnie Kaplin at police headquarters. She was the department computer whiz. Maybe she could dig up another connection between the four men that Hutch failed to see. After making sure that Starsky was still sleeping peacefully, Hutch left the room to make his call.

Minnie readily agreed to do an extensive background check on each of the four victims. She had a soft spot for both detectives, especially Starsky. She affectionately called him a "naughty boy" and loved to tease him outrageously. Starsky enjoyed flirting with Minnie and eating the special treats that she baked and brought in for the entire squad. Even Hutch didn't object to breaking his normally healthy diet for one of Minnie's fattening treats.

She told Hutch that it would take several days to compile the information since she would have to do it in addition to her other duties. Hutch resented the delay but knew that he would have to be patient. If anyone could find out the minute details of the victim's lives that someone else might overlook, Minnie would. Promising to keep her posted on Starsky's condition, Hutch ended the call and hurried back to Starsky's room. As Starsky's condition worsened, every second he spent with him became more precious to Hutch. He had already requested and been put on an indefinite leave of absence from work, refusing to leave Starsky's side unless it was absolutely necessary.

Captain Dobey had reluctantly agreed to his request. He hated having to do without his two best detectives on his squad but he knew that Hutch would refuse to work the streets with another partner, even temporarily. During Starsky's long recovery from Gunther's attack, Hutch had voluntarily taken desk duty, concentrating all his efforts on building an air tight case against Gunther and his henchmen, dividing his time between the office and the hospital. When Starsky was finally allowed to go home, Hutch had moved in with him to be his primary caregiver during the rest of his recovery. Hutch had never regretted it. He would have sacrificed everything, even his job, to take care of Starsky. That's how close they were.

Dobey also told Hutch that the tests on the food and other items from Starsky's apartment had all come back negative. So that was another dead end on trying to figure out how Starsky had contracted the virus. Hutch realized how foolish he had been by taking a chance drinking a beer and eating a sandwich when he stayed at Starsky's apartment before he knew if it was safe. His exhaustion was interfering with his thinking. Starsky would have killed him if he came down with this thing too.

But this time, there were no bad guys to track down. No paper trails to follow to link the culprit to the crime. There was nothing he could do except set at Starsky's side and watch him deteriorate a little bit more every day. He prayed that he would be strong enough to endure the days ahead and what they held in store for the two friends.


	9. Chapter 9

VIRUS

**VIRUS**

**Chapter 9**

Rachel Starsky's hands trembled as she stepped into her son's room. Although Captain Dobey had tried to warn her what to expect, she still caught her breath sharply at the sight of her beloved son lying on the bed with two IV's running into his arms and a tube running down from under the sheet to a bag hanging at the edge of the bed frame that collected his urine. The brunet's eyes were closed and his face was covered with a light sheen of sweat. He had lost several pounds and his body looked gaunt and much too thin.

Hutch was sitting at his side, gently bathing his flushed face and talking to him in a soft, quiet voice. Captain Dobey held Rachel's elbow, gently leading her over to the bed. Hutch looked up with a warm, welcoming smile, accepting her hug without hesitation. Every since Starsky had taken Hutch home with him for the first time to visit her while they were still in the Academy, she had treated Hutch like a member of her family. She had filled a void in Hutch's life left by his own mother's indifference.

"How is he?" Rachel said in a voice that was barely above a whisper.

"I'm okay, Ma…" Starsky said in a weak voice as he struggled to open his eyes and greet his mother properly. Rachel immediately turned her attention to her son, running her fingers through his too long curls and bending down to kiss his dry, hot cheek.

"Don't lie to me." She scolded him affectionately. "You wouldn't be in here if you were okay." She let her gaze sweep over her son's long frame. "I'm going have to make you some of your favorite dishes while I'm here…you're not eating enough."

"Don't fuss, Ma." Starsky said "I probably couldn't eat it anyway. Not much wants to stay down these days."

"Nonsense. I'll make you some of my chicken soup. That should be easy on your stomach." Rachel insisted, patting Starsky's cheek, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

Behind her back, Hutch and the Captain exchanged an amused glance as they listened to her scold her son affectionately. It was easy to see where Starsky got his stubborn streak and his independent nature. Despite her own recent stroke, Rachel had refused to let it get her down. She continued to live her life to the fullest, enjoying the same simple pleasures she always had. The only lingering sign of her recent illness was a slight weakness on her left side leaving her with a barely noticeable limp. But even if she had been on her deathbed, nothing could have kept her from her son's side when he was so desperately ill.

Soothed by his mother's loving touch, Starsky drifted off to sleep. Rachel straightened up and looked at Hutch solemnly. "How is he? Really?"

"This is one of his good days." Hutch admitted somberly. "Some days are worse than others."

"And the doctors can't do anything to make him better? How can that be?" she demanded

"It's the virus. They've never seen anything like it. They don't even know how he got infected with it. The only thing they do know is that the only other four cases they have ever seen of it…all the victims have died." Hutch told her. He had already given her a brief explanation over the phone but he knew her well enough to know that she would not accept anything less than complete honesty now that she was here.

"My poor baby." She said softly, struggling to keep her emotions under control. "He's already been through so much…he shouldn't have to go through this too."

"Mrs. Starsky, why don't I take you back to my house so you can settle in and get some rest?" Captain Dobey suggested

"No, want to stay here with David for a while. You can pick me up later…when visiting hours are over." She said firmly. Hutch stood up and offered her his seat. He would get another chair from the nurse's lounge. Rachel gave him a grateful smile as she sat down at her son's side and took his hand.

"Come on, Hutchinson." Dobey said gruffly. "You can buy me a cup of coffee before I leave."

The two men left the room, knowing that Starsky was in the best hands he could be in besides Hutch's himself. Rachel needed some private time with her son. Dobey glanced at the blond half of his best team of detectives with a practiced eye. He knew that Hutch tended to neglect his own needs when Starsky was sick or injured. The man looked exhausted with dark circles under his eyes and an unnatural pallor to his already fair complexion. Maybe now that Starsky's mother was here, Hutch could get some nurturing and tender loving care of his own.

Dobey was amazed when he thought about how Starsky and Hutch had managed to become so close to the Captain and his family. Rosie and Cal considered them their two favorite "uncles" and the Captain and his wife looked upon them as two more of their sons. Sometimes that relationship made it difficult to remain objective when it came to being their superior officer at work. He knew that he allowed them more freedom to do things their way as long as they got the job done than he did any of the other men on the squad. But there was no disputing how good they were at what they did and how passionate they were about the job and the victims that they worked with. They had the highest arrest and conviction rate in the history of the entire department. They were truly BCPD legends, respected and admired by most of their peers. And even the ones who didn't particularly like them had to admit that they were excellent detectives. That was why the Captain tended to give them the most difficult and high profile cases that came across his desk. He knew that they would do whatever it took to solve the case.

Now, he was terrified that he was going to lose them both. If Starsky died, Dobey was positive that Hutch wouldn't be far behind. He would grieve himself to death without his partner and his best friend. The suicide rate among police officers was much higher than anyone knew, especially when an officer lost a partner or a spouse. A partnership was a marriage of sorts and the ones that lasted the longest, like Starsky and Hutch, were the ones to suffer the most when one of the partners died.

Dobey knew from personal experience how much it hurt to lose a partner that had become like a part of your family, sometimes even your very soul. His partner had been murdered, left on a meat hook to die. It had taken him a long time to get over losing him and he had never worked the streets again after his death. He had progressed through the ranks to his present position, honoring his partner's memory the best way he could. But, he was smart enough to know that Starsky and Hutch's relationship was a unique one and that neither one would survive long if they lost the other one. And he knew that there was nothing that he could do about it. He could be there to support the surviving partner but eventually, they would find a way to join their friend in death. It was a reality that Dobey didn't want to face anytime soon. He was a devoutly religious man and he had been praying for another miracle this time.

In the cafeteria, Dobey ordered a cup of coffee and a piece of apple pie while Hutch opted for a glass of orange juice. Dobey tried to convince him to eat something but Hutch politely refused. They sat at a table in the far corner of the room where they wouldn't be disturbed.

"There has to be some kind of connection between Starsky and the other victims." Hutch mused as he sipped at his juice. "Why them? Why Starsky? Why not more victims than just four so far…five counting Starsk?"

"I don't know. Minnie said to tell you that she's working on the background checks on the other victims but nothing so far." Dobey told him. He sighed heavily and then added, "Hutch, you may never know the answers for sure. There may not be a connection…no matter how much you want there to be."

"But where the hell did this virus come from? How come nobody has ever heard of it? How did they get it in the first place?"

"I don't know and we may never know." Dobey said in a tired voice. All of Hutch's questions were valid but he simply had no answers, at least none that would satisfy the distraught blond. But he knew that Hutch would never give up, he would never stop searching for the answers to his questions.


	10. Chapter 10

VIRUS

**VIRUS**

**A/N: Been out of town for the weekend. So here are three chapters as a special treat. We are moving tomorrow and access to the internet will be limited for a while. Hope not for long, but there may be a longer delay between posting chapters.**

**Chapter 10**

Sandy Lewis, one of the day shift nurses, stuck her head inside the doorway to Starsky's room and said, "Hutch, there's a phone call for you at the nurse's station. Someone named Minnie. She said to tell you that it's important."

Hutch glanced at his restlessly sleeping partner. Starsky was having a bad day and he hated leaving him, even if it was only for a few minutes. Rachel was sitting by the bed, crooning softly to her agitated son, trying to soothe him. She looked up at Hutch and said, "Go on, Ken. She said it was important."

Hutch nodded and stepped into the hall. He hurried down the hall to the nurses's station and picked up the receiver lying on the desk. "Hutchinson." He said into the reciver.

"Hutch, honey…it's mother Minnie. I think I found something in those backgrounds I was doing on those other four victims. Can you meet me at headquarters as soon as possible?"

"Starsky's not having a very good day. I don't want to leave him. Can't you tell me over the phone?"

"I'd rather not. How about if I meet you in the hospital cafeteria in twenty minutes?" Minnie suggested.

"Okay, I'll be there." Hutch agreed with a heavy sigh. He reached over the desk to hang up the phone and then hurried back to Starsky's room.

"Did you find a lead?" Rachel asked him as soon as he entered the room.

"I don't know. Minnie, at headquarters, thinks she found something. She was doing an extensive background check on the other four victims. I'm meeting her in the cafeteria in twenty minutes." Hutch moved closer to the bed, noticing immediately that Starsky seemed to have quieted down although his breathing was still labored and ragged.

His fever was high again making the brunet restless and disoriented. He was also having severe muscle cramps that made him try to curl up in a fetal position to ease the pain. Even morphine given directly into his IV did little to ease the pain.

Hutch stayed at Starsky's side until it was time to meet Minnie in the cafeteria. He hurried down to the basement and entered the nearly empty dining room. Minnie was already there, sitting at table in the back with a stack of computer printouts lying on the table in front of her. Hutch joined her, his cool blue eyes beseeching her for answers.

"What have you got, Minnie?"

"I found a connection between the four other victims and Starsky." She said in a quiet, carefully guarded voice.

"What kind of a connection?" Hutch asked anxiously

"All four of the victims and Starsky served together on the same squad in Vietnam." Minnie told him in a satisfied voice.

"Vietnam?" Hutch exclaimed "What does Vietnam have to do with this virus?"

"I don't know what it has to do with the virus, honey…but it proves that Starsky and the other victims knew each other."

"So, maybe somebody singled them out for some reason…something connected to Vietnam." Hutch said, thinking out loud. "Maybe something happened over there that they were all involved in somehow."

"Unfortunately, the only one that might be able to tell you anything is Starsky and he's not in any condition to talk right now." Minnie said. "I can do some more digging but there's not much to go on and military records are classified. I can't get into most of them."

"Then I need to find somebody who can." Hutch said thoughtfully. "Thanks, Minnie. You've been a big help. Keep digging." He stood up and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "I have to get back to Starsky."

"Give that naughty boy a big hug for me and tell him that he'd better get well soon." Minnie said. Hutch nodded sadly. Nobody knew how serious Starsky's condition really was except for Hutch, the medical staff, Captain Dobey, Huggy Bear and Rachel Starsky. They all agreed that it was better that way. They didn't want to start a panic if word leaked out about a mysterious, incurable virus in the City.

Hutch hurried back to Starsky's room, mulling over the new information he had just been given by Minnie. It seemed too coincidental that all four of the previous victims plus Starsky had served on the same unit in Vietnam. There had to be a connection there somehow between the victims and the virus. But what? What could have happened in Vietnam to single them out specifically? Hutch spent the rest of the afternoon going through his list of contacts, both on the street and otherwise, trying to figure out who he could get to help him dig into the classified military records of the five men involved.

Towards evening, Starsky regained consciousness but he was confused and disoriented, talking out of his head and swinging his hands at things that only he could see in his feverish mind. Neither Hutch or Rachel could calm him down. Finally, the doctor was forced to give him a powerful sedative to knock him out to keep him from hurting himself or tearing out one of his IVS or other lines.

Captain Dobey came by and picked up Rachel shortly afterwards and took her back to his house to get some rest but Hutch remained steadfastly at Starsky's side. In the quiet solitude of the hospital room, he sat there and ran his fingers through Starsky's thick curls, gazing at the beloved face. A muscle in Starsky's left cheek still twitched even in his drugged slumber.

"Hey, babe…" Hutch whispered, leaning down so that he was speaking directly into a curl covered ear. "Can you hear me? You gotta keep fighting…for me…for us. You can't let this thing beat you." He sighed heavily. "I know I don't tell you often enough…but I love you…I really love you. I can't do this without you." A ragged sob caught in his throat and he took a deep breath to compose himself. "You have to live, babe…I'm not ready to lose you. I'll never be ready to let you go…"

_Hutch__?__ Is that you? What's wrong with me? Where am I? Why can't I open my eyes? Stay with me, Blondie, don't leave me alone. I'm scared. I don't wanna be alone. _

Hutch felt a shiver run though his very soul. He'd heard Starsky's voice clear as day in his mind. He could feel the brunet's fear clear as day. "Shhh…babe," he said, leaning his head forward to touch his forehead to Starskys, their private gesture of affection. "It's okay…I'm here. Hutch is here…sleep now…you're safe."

Hutch heard an immediate difference in Starsky's ragged breathing as it evened out and deepened. Resting his head against the edge of the mattress, Hutch drifted into a deep sleep of his own_._

_He was running through the woods looking for Starsky. They'd had a fight and Starsky had walked away from their campsite into the woods. Hutch had to find him before it was too late. Starsky hated the woods. Then he saw him up ahead, standing at the edge of a steep cliff. "Starsky!!" Hutch yelled running towards his best friend and partner. _

_Starsky slowly turned around and looked at Hutch sadly. In a broken voice, he said, "I don't know if I can keep my promise anymore about sticking around, Blondie. It hurts too much and I'm so damn tired."_

_"Don't say that, Starsk!" Hutch pleaded in a choked ragged voice, reaching out for his friend. "You can't leave me! You promised! After Gunther, you promised you wouldn't die on me again!"_

_"I know I did but…"_

_"No, buts! If you break your promise, I'll never forgive you!"_

_"Okay, Hutch…" Starsky said in a tired, hopeless voice "I'd do my best…for you. But, I can't make any promises…not this time."_

Hutch's eyes flew open with a start. His gaze automatically went to Starsky's face, reassured by the steady rise and fall of his chest. A dream. It had only been a dream. Hutch grabbed Starsky's hand and held on tightly, desperately needing the reassurance of feeling Starsky's warm, living flesh in his hand.


	11. Chapter 11

VIRUS

**VIRUS**

**A/N: The character of Colonel Matt Whitehead is used with the gracious permission of Kristy Welch. Thanks, Kristy! **

**Chapter 11**

Colonel Matt Whitehead leaned back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. It had been a long day and he was ready to go home. He stretched out his long legs, trying to work the kinks out of his tall lanky frame and ran his fingers through his short ginger colored hair.

A light rap on the door caught his attention and he called out, "Come in."

His assistant, a young female officer named Carla, stuck her head in the door and said shyly, "Colonel, there's a Detective Hutchinson here to see you. He said it's an emergency."

The Colonel was momentarily startled but nodded his head. He knew both Starsky and Hutch, having met them in the past through one of the men under his command. He wondered what the young police officer needed to see him for that was so important.

A moment later, Hutch strode through the door with quick steps and stood, almost at attention, in front of the Colonel's desk. Whitehead rose to his feet and held out his hand for a firm handshake. He smiled warmly and said,

"Ken, what can I do for you?"  
"I need your help. Starsky's in the hospital and he could die. He's infected with some kind of mysterious virus of unknown origin." Hutch explained "According to the Center for Disease Control from Atlanta, there have been four other identified cases of this same virus in the past five years. All in different states but the victims do have one thing in common. They all served with Starsky on the same unit in Vietnam."

"I'm so sorry to hear that." The Colonel said in genuine concern. He liked the two young police detectives and he knew how close they were. "But how can I help you?"

"Their military records are classified. We can't access them. I need to know if something happened in Vietnam that could provide someone with a motive for targeting these five men specifically."

"That's a lot to ask." The Colonel said with a frown. "A lot of shit went down in Vietnam."

"Will you help me or not?"

"I'll do what I can but I can't make any promises." The Colonel looked deep in thought for a moment and then added, "You said this virus is unidentified?"

"That's right."

"Do you think the doctors at the CDC would be willing to send me a copy of any information they might have on this particular virus?"

"I can ask them. Why?"

"Let's just say that I want to check something out." The Colonel smiled thinly. "I promise I'll do what I can. How can I get in touch with you if I find out anything?"

Hutch pulled one of his business cards from his wallet and quickly scribbled his home number and the number at the hospital on the back. He handed it to the Colonel. "Those are the numbers you can call to get in touch with me. How long do you think it will take to see if you can find out anything?"

"That depends on how deep I have to dig. Give me a few days and I'll be in touch one way or the other."

"Thank you," Hutch said gratefully. "Starsky's life may depend on what you find out."

"I promise, I'll do my best." The two men shook hands again sealing the promise between them. Hutch left the Colonel's office and hurried back outside to his car. It would take him at least an hour to get back to the hospital and Starsky's side. The brunet hadn't been doing well when he left. His fever was back up and he was being kept sedated to keep him from disturbing any of the IV's or other medical equipment in his delirium. The doctors had told Hutch before he left that the virus was already beginning to affect Starsky's other systems. His kidneys were dangerously close to shutting down and his lungs continued to fill with fluid.

Hutch knew that Starsky was rapidly approaching the point where the doctors would want to put him on life support, the one thing that Starsky was adamant about not wanting. Although the decision tore them both apart, Hutch and Rachel had agreed that they would do everything in their power to make sure that Starsky's wishes in the matter prevailed. Even if that meant that they had to watch him die.

When Hutch arrived at the hospital, he was surprised to see Gretchen leaving the front entrance. They met at the edge of the parking lot, and exchanged a weary smile.

"I just got back in town and stopped by to see how David was doing." She explained. "He looks terrible! How could he be fine one minute and so sick the next?"

"It's the virus." Hutch told her sadly.

"Is it true that there's nothing anyone can do?'

"It looks that way unless someone pulls off a miracle." Hutch reluctantly admitted. His throat closed up and his chest ached with pain as he spoke the truth aloud. Starsky could die. Starsky probably would die unless God granted him another miracle.

"I just can't believe it." Gretchen said somberly. She looked at Hutch, her eyes brimming with tears. "I love him, Hutch…I really do…but I won't be back. I can't watch him die." With those parting words, she hurried away across the parking lot. Hutch watched her go, a mixture of emotions washing over him. He understood how she felt, he really did, but if she really loved Starsky the way she said, he thought she should be there for him. But then, Hutch had learned the hard way that there were all kinds of love and that some love was more pure than others. With heavy steps, he went into the hospital and made his way to Starsky's room.

There had been no change in the few hours that he had been gone. Rachel had apparently gone back to the Dobey home to rest because Huggy Bear now occupied the chair beside Starsky's bed. The two friends exchanged a knowing glance as Hutch came into the room.

"How is he?" Hutch asked, keeping his voice low even though Starsky was unconscious.

"The same." Huggy said somberly. "The doctors were here and said they'll have to put him on dialysis soon. His kidneys are barely functioning."

"What about the fluid in his lungs?"

"It's getting worse."

"Damn." Hutch said, venting his frustration by slamming his hand against the wall. "Why do things like this always have to happen to him? Bellemy, Marcus, Gunther…now this!"

"Hey, seems to me like you've had just as many close calls as he has." Huggy reminded the distraught blond.

"Yeah, but it's not the same. He always suffers more. God, how much is one man supposed to be able to take?"

"His mother told me that Curly made some decisions of his own about this time."

"Yeah, he doesn't want them putting him on life support again. If he's going to die…he wants to die in peace."

"I'd say that he's earned the right to make that choice." Huggy said quietly.

"I know," Hutch said, letting the fear he felt creep into his voice. "But I don't know if I can get through this…" A tear slid down Hutch's cheek and he choked back a sob. "After Gunther…I was so sure I was going to lose him…I gave up on him…I was waiting for him to die…then God gave us a miracle and he pulled through. But this time, I think He's finally out of miracles…at least for Starsky."

Hutch's head bowed and his shoulders shook with silent sobs as he broke down. Huggy immediately jumped to his feet and moved to his friend's side, putting a comforting arm around Hutch's broad shoulders and guiding him over to the chair.

He had planned on leaving as soon as Hutch returned but he decided to stay. Both of his friends needed him now more than ever.


	12. Chapter 12

VIRUS

**VIRUS**

**Chapter 12**

Over the next two days, Starsky's condition deteriorated even more. He was put on dialysis and aggressive treatment was started to try and clear the fluid from his lungs.

As expected, the doctors wanted to put him on life support but both Rachel and Hutch had refused. It was the hardest thing either one of them had ever had to do in their lives, but they were honoring Starsky's wishes, not their own.

Hutch was sitting by Starsky's side, holding his hand, when a nurse's aide appeared in the doorway. "Mr. Hutchinson," she said politely "There's a call for you at the nurse's station."

"Thank you." Hutch said without looking away from Starsky's face. Slowly, he laid his partner's hand down on the bed and patted it gently. "I'll be right back, buddy…don't go anywhere while I'm gone."

He hurried down the hall to the nurse's station and grabbed the receiver that was lying on the counter. "Yeah?" he said more gruffly than he intended.

"Hutch? It's Colonel Whitehead. I have some information I think you'll be very interested in. Can you come down here right away?"

"Colonel, Starsky isn't doing very well and I really don't want to leave him. Can't you just fax me what you have?"

"No. I'm sure you'll understand why not when you hear what I have to say." The Colonel said firmly.

"Okay…I can be there in a couple of hours. I have to get someone to stay with Starsky while I'm gone."

"Good, I'll see you then."

It was almost three hours later before Hutch finally arrived at the Colonel's office. He was immediately ushered inside. The Colonel was standing at the window, gazing out through the pane. As the door closed behind Hutch, he said, without turning around. "I'm glad you could make it, Ken. I'm sorry about Starsky. I wish there was something more I could do…but I'm afraid the best I can do is help you catch the person responsible for all this."

"You know who it is?" Hutch asked in a startled voice.

"Not directly, but I do know the connection between the five men and Vietnam, as well as the origin of the virus."

"Tell me." Hutch demanded through tightly clenched teeth, quickly losing patience.

The Colonel turned and walked over to his desk. Picking up a thick file lying there, he handed it to Hutch. "This is a copy of everything you need to know. It's highly classified information and I'm sure you'll realize why when you look it over." He sighed heavily, "In a nutshell…Starsky and the other four victims did serve on the same unit in Vietnam. One day, they were sent out on a mission. They were one man short so a new recruit was sent with them. His name was Tommy Collins. He was only 18 years old and had only been in country for three days. He should never have been sent with them but he was. He was too inexperienced." The Colonel slumped down in his chair to continue his story. "The squad was attacked and Tommy Collins was killed. Later, it was determined that he was killed by 'friendly fire'."

"By someone else on the squad." Hutch said, familiar with the term. He had heard it before. It was term the police department used too.

"Exactly. It was ruled an accident and nobody was ever charged and it was never disclosed who fired the fatal shot that killed him…but I will tell you that it did not come from Sergeant Starsky's weapon." He paused for a moment before continuing. This was obviously difficult for him. "The virus is a top secret compound that was developed by the military. A vial of the virus came up missing about six years ago…a civilian technician who worked at the facility where it was kept was suspected. She disappeared immediately after the theft. She was using the name Miranda Edwards but the military was able to determine that her real name was Susan Collins. She was Tommy Collins' sister."

"You mean she stole the virus and deliberately hunted down all these men as an act of revenge for her brother's death?"

"That's what we believe happened."

"And the military has known about this whole thing for the past six years and they never tried to warn any of the victims?" Hutch said angrily, his eyes flashing with a cold, icy rage.

"They didn't make the connection between the victims until after the third victim died. They've been trying to find the woman for the past six years but she's very good at concealing her real identity. We believe that she uses fake ids, changes the color of her hair, maybe even goes so far as to employ plastic surgery to keep her identify concealed."  
"I need a picture of her."

"There's one in the file but it's seven years old…I'm not sure if it will be any help to you."

"Even if they didn't try to warn the other potential victims…why the hell didn't the military warn the public about the virus?" Hutch said grimly.

"You just answered your own question. Because they are the military. They didn't want the public to know that someone was out there using a virus that they developed to kill people."

"Well, if the military invented this virus…then they must have a cure." Hutch said hopefully.

His hopes were dashed when the Colonel shook his head solemnly. "Unfortunately, they don't. The other victims started to develop antibodies against the virus shortly before each of them died. But by then it was too late, they were weak…too sick to survive long enough for them to develop enough antibodies to be effective."

"So Starsky is still going to die…" Hutch whispered, his voice trailing off.  
"I'm sorry. I'm afraid so." The Colonel sighed heavily and looked closely at the big blond facing his desk. He chose his next words with care, "Be careful, Ken. I can assure you that the military is well aware of David's circumstances…they've been watching the case from a distance. They are not going to want to reveal their connection to all of this and they will do whatever they have to do to keep their part in this a secret."

Hutch gripped the file in his hands and smiled coldly. "Then I guess the public needs to know before they cover it up any further." The two men exchanged a glance, neither of them saying a word. They both knew what had to be done. Hutch turned and left the office. He had to get back to Bay City as soon as possible. He had a press conference to arrange.


	13. Chapter 13

VIRUS

**VIRUS**

**A/N: After today my internet connection will be limited for an indefinite period of time, so posting between chapters will be longer than usual. **

**Chapter 13**

"The virus that has infected Detective David Starsky was developed by the military. A vial was stolen by a civilian employee going by the name of Miranda Edwards, but her real name is Susan Collins. Anyone who has any information about this woman's whereabouts is urged to call the Bay City Police Department immediately. You do not have to give your name. It is imperative that we find and arrest this woman. She has already killed four men and Detective Starsky may very well be her fifth victim." Hutch paused to let the reporters absorb the information he had just given them. Taking a deep breath he continued, "I would like to stress that the public is in no danger from this virus. Specific victims were targeted. Again, if anyone has any information that might help us find the woman responsible, please call. Thank you."

Hutch ignored the questions that the reporters starting shouting at him as he left the podium. Starsky was dying. The doctors said he couldn't hold out much longer. Hutch needed to be with his partner. He refused to let him die alone. After he found the woman responsible for his partner's murder, he would join his partner in death. His own fate had been decided the minute some lunatic infected Starsky with the deadly virus that was killing him.

Rachel, Huggy Bear, Captain Dobey and his wife, Edith, were all gathered in Starsky's room. The brunet on the bed was unaware of their presence. There was a deathly pallor to Starsky's normally olive complexion and his breathing was shallow and weak. Rachel and Edith were both offering silent prayers for Starsky and the other two men had tears in their eyes. Starsky had touched all of their lives but none as profoundly as he had Hutch. They were all losing a friend, a man that had become as close to them as a brother or a son, but Hutch was losing part of his very soul.

"How'd it go?" Dobey asked, his normally gruff voice quiet and subdued.

"About as well as can be expected." Hutch said shortly. "At least the truth is out there now and the military can't go on burying their head in the sand and ignoring their involvement in this whole thing."

"That took a lot of guts, man." Huggy said in an admiring voice. "I'd be watching your back if I were you."

"That's why Hutch did it." Dobey said "By making the information public, including the search for the woman and the military's involvement, they can't touch Hutch now. It would be professional suicide."

"What about that Colonel that helped you?" Huggy said. "Didn't he screw himself by helping you?"

"The Colonel will be just fine." Hutch said with a thin smile. "He's got his own connections that will help keep him safe from retaliation."

"Too bad none of this is going to help Curly." Huggy said sadly.

"David would be proud of all of you." Rachel said, her eyes shining with love as she gazed at her eldest son's face. "And I'm sure that you will find the woman who did this to him. My son's death will not be vain and it will be avenged."

"The woman…" Hutch said slowly, a strange look crossing his face as he tried to organize his thoughts. "A woman had to get close enough to Starsky to infect him somehow…"

"What have you got, Hutch?" Dobey asked , instantly recognizing the thought process that told him that Hutch was on to something. It had always amazed him how Starsky and Hutch could take the most minute detail and use it to solve a crime.

"The only woman who's gotten close enough to Starsky to do that lately…has been his new girlfriend…"

"Gretchen…" Huggy Bear and Rachel both said simultaneously

"Cap'n, I need an APB put out immediately on Gretchen Walker, 20036 Belaire Drive, Apartment 16." Hutch said over his shoulder, as he turned to bolt from the room. "I'm going to her apartment and to see if she's still there. Have back up meet me there!" Dobey immediately jumped to his feet and ran after Hutch to find a phone.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**"**She's not there." A woman in an adjoining apartment told Hutch as he pounded frantically on Gretchen's apartment door.

"Do you know where she is?"

"She cleared out this morning. Said she was leaving town. Good riddance too if you ask me." The woman snorted, making it apparent that she didn't care for Gretchen much.

"Thank you," Hutch yelled over his shoulder as he ran back down the steps to the ground floor where a black and white unit was waiting. Pausing beside the cruiser, he said breathless, "Get all available units to the airport. She's trying to leave town. Tell them her description is on the APB!" Hutch said. He didn't wait for confirmation as he climbed into the Torino and sped away, heading for the airport with both the lights and siren blaring. His gut instincts told him that he was on the right track. Gretchen Walker was the mysterious Susan Collins, the woman responsible for four deaths and Starsky.

There were four other cruisers already parked in front of the main entrance to the airport when Hutch arrived fifteen minutes later. Whenever they were after a suspect who was responsible for trying to kill, or actually killing, a cop, the whole force united in their efforts to bring them to justice.

As Hutch made his way through the crowded terminal, he was automatically drawn to loud voices at the far end of one of the check in areas. As he pushed his way through the crowd, he was pleased to see that four uniformed officers had the woman in question detained.

A thin, bitter smile tugged at Gretchen's lips as she watched Hutch's approach. Her eyes spitting fire and hatred at the big blond, she spat out, "So you figured it out. You're still too late. You can't save David!"

"You bitch!" Hutch snarled, taking a step towards her only to be restrained by another uniformed officer.

"Cool it, Hutch…she ain't worth it." The cop whispered in Hutch's ear. Hutch stopped but his body remained tensed and rigid as he stared daggers at the woman who had killed his best friend.

"That's why I saved David for last you know!" Gretchen said, rubbing salt further into the blond's bleeding heart. "I did my research. I knew he was a cop and I knew how good the two of you were supposed to be at your job. He was the only one I was worried about figuring it out. Guess I should have worried a little more about you since you're the one who put it all together."

"You got that right, lady!" Hutch hissed, his hands clenching and unclenching into fists at his side. It took every bit of self control that he had to keep from wrapping his hands around her throat. "Get her the fuck out of here!"

As the other officers led her away, Hutch swayed unsteadily and would have fallen if the officer by his side hadn't grabbed his arm. "Come on, Hutch." He said gently "Let's get you back to Starsky where you belong. You got the bitch. She ain't going no place except prison."

Hutch nodded absently and allowed the other officer to walk him back outside to where he had left the Torino. Assuring him that he was capable of driving, Hutch climbed back into the car and raced back to the hospital, praying frantically that Starsky hadn't died in his absence. He had to be there at the end, he couldn't let Starsky die without him being there.

The room was hushed when Hutch slipped into the room. Rachel was crying and Edith Dobey was dabbing at her eyes. Huggy was sitting beside Starsky holding his hand while Dobey was comforting the two women. Hutch's face turned pale, terrified that he was too late.

"He's still with us." Huggy said with a quick glance at Hutch's face as he released Starsky's hand and rose gracefully to his feet to relinquish his seat to Hutch. "But the doctor said it's just a matter of time. I think he's been waiting for you."Hutch immediately took Huggy's place beside Starsky and grabbed his hand, pressing it up against his cheek.

"I'm here, pal…I'm here." He choked out. Hutch could see that Starsky was barely breathing, his breathes shallow and spaced apart with long pauses in between. "It's okay to leave now if you have too…just walk slow okay…give me time to catch up with you…" The tears began to fall freely down the big blond's face as he waited for the inevitable, for Starsky to take his final breath.


	14. Chapter 14

VIRUS

**VIRUS**

**A/N: I hope to be in another apartment and back on line by sometime in August. Until then, please bear with me**

**Chapter 14**

Everyone stood in silence around the bed, holding their own breath as they waited for the end. They were all startled when the door to the room opened and the room began filling with medical personnel, pushing equipment and machines. Hutch bounced to his feet and glared at the intrusion. "What the hell is going on?"

"We've have orders to put David on life support immediately." Dr. Franklin said solemnly.

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" Hutch and Rachel both said at the same time. "That's not what David wants!" Rachel added.

"I'm sorry," the doctor said apologetically. "It's out of our hands. The military has taken over the case and ordered us to put David on life support."

"What the fuck has the military got to do with this?" Hutch growled "They're the reason he's in this condition in the first place?"  
As the rest of the medical staff began hooking Starsky up to the machines that were designed to prolong his life, the doctor sighed and looked at the other angry faces in the room. Sighing heavily, he told them what he knew. "The last round of tests we ran on David showed that his body is starting to produce antibodies that are attacking the virus. Apparently, this happened with the other victims too just before they died, but in David's case, he's producing the antibodies at a faster rate than the other victims. So the military has taken over the case and ordered us to put David on life support so they can draw some of his blood to use for a serum to try and develop a vaccine for this virus."

"If they can develop a vaccine from David's blood, will it save David?" Rachel asked, her voice trembling with emotion as hope flared in her heart.

"Probably not. He's too far gone…his body's too weak and debilitated from the virus."

"When the military is finished with him, can we remove the life support?" Hutch asked, his mouth set in hard, thin line. Although he knew that it was be the hardest thing he had ever done to have the life support disconnected, knowing that Starsky would die without it, he was honor bound by friendship and love to respect his friend's wishes.

Yes, you have that right." Dr. Franklin acknowledged with a slight nod of his head. He turned his attention back to his patient, leaving the grieving friends and family to watch the proceedings in silence.

Hutch, the Dobeys, Huggy and Rachel stood at one side of the room and watched as Starsky was hooked up to the machines that he hated and hadn't wanted used this time. Soon the beeping of the heart monitor filled the room, accompanied by the whooshing sound of the respirator that was pumping air into Starsky's tortured lungs. Tears ran freely down Rachel Starsky's face as she gazed at her son's face, pulled back from the very edge of death by the machines that he resented.

After the medical staff finished their tasks, they left the room. Rachel, Hutch, the Dobeys and Huggy Bear gathered around the bed and looked at Starsky. Hutch grabbed Starsky's hand and whispered, "I'm sorry, buddy…I know this isn't what you wanted…." Although Hutch hated the way the military had stepped in and taken the choice out of their hands, he was secretly grateful for the gift of a few more stolen moments with his friend. His eyes drifted to the screen on the heart monitor, watching the jagged line that flickered there. Although the brunet lingered on the verge of death because of respiratory failure and his heartbeat was a bit slow, his heart was still beating as strongly as the respirator forced life saving oxygen through his system. But Hutch knew he was clinging to false hope. Once they turned off the machines, Starsky would die. His body was just too weak and worn out, he had lost the will to go on fighting. Without the intervention of the machines, he would already be gone.

He could hear Rachel in the background, softly voicing a prayer in Yiddish. Edith Dobey was joining her in a prayer of her own. Hutch envied them for their faith in a God he had stopped believing in a long time ago. Although his faith in God may have been shaken through the years, he did hope there was some kind of afterlife because that meant that he would see Starsky again someday and they would be together in death as they had been in life.

Medical personnel came in and out of the room for the rest of the day, running tests and drawing vials of blood from the brunet, so much blood that Hutch began to wonder if they really cared how much they were taking since they expected Starsky to die in the end anyway. Finally, Hutch had to leave the room for awhile, unable to watch what he considered the needless abuse of his helpless friend any longer.

He walked through the quiet halls, lost in his own thoughts. He was surprised when he found himself at the entrance to the small chapel on the third floor. He slipped inside and walked up to a pew in the front row, sinking down onto the upholstered bench. He raised his eyes to the cross on the altar and found himself speaking, "I don't know what to say…I haven't done this in a long time…not since Starsky almost died from Gunther's attack. I put my faith in you then and you gave me a miracle, you let him live when they all said there was no hope." His throat tightened and he had to take a deep breath before he could continue. "You gave him back to me because you knew I couldn't go on without him. Maybe it's not fair to ask you to do the same thing again; maybe this time…there aren't any miracles left. But I'm still asking you not to do this to him…he's a good man…he doesn't deserve to die like this…" Hutch took a deep shuddering breath as his eyes flooded with tears "I'm still not ready to let him go. I'll never be ready to let him go. He means more to me than my own life. If I could, I'd let you take me if that meant he would live." Hutch bowed his head and closed his eyes. "Please…give me another miracle…just one more time." He sat there for a long time in the quiet solitude, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs as he grieved for his dying friend.

It was a long time before he finally found the composure to shove himself to his feet and return to Starsky's room. The others were still there, united in their vigil at the brunet's side. None of them intended to leave until it was over. It was the least they could do for Starsky after everything he had done for all of them. They would make sure he died knowing that he was surrounded by love from the people who cared about him the most. One of the nurses had thoughtfully moved a recliner into the room so they could take turns resting and Edith Dobey had convinced Rachel to lie down in it for awhile. She had drifted into an exhausted sleep, the resemblance to her son as she slept almost uncanny.

There were deep lines etched in her face from the ordeal with Starsky that made her look older than her fifty some years. Even Captain Dobey and his wife looked liked they had aged dramatically in the past few days. Deep lines of grief were etched in everyone's face but they showed more deeply in Hutch's than anyone else. He settled down in the chair beside Starsky and took his hand. His soft, melodious voice echoed softly through the air as he started singing one of Starsky's favorite songs, bringing tears to everyone's eyes.


	15. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER 15**

Over the next few days, Hutch and the others stood vigil at Starsky's side as the military took more than their share of blood from the brunet. They held their tongues but they all felt angry at the military for stepping in and taking over the way they had. Their love for Starsky compounded their grief at watching his needlessly suffering at the hands of the military who had no interest but their own in mind. On the fifth day of treatment, Dr. Franklin came in and addressed the gathering,

"The military has finished taking their samples. You are free to remove David from the life support if that is what you still wish to do."

"It's not about what we want," Rachel informed him solemnly "It's about what David wanted."

"Then it is still your wish to go ahead and remove the life support?" the doctor clarified

"Yes, it is." Rachel said firmly, as she reached out to grab Hutch's hand for moral support. Hutch nodded his agreement, unable to speak past the lump in his throat.

"I'll be back with some papers for you to sign and then we can proceed."

As the doctor left the room, Rachel choked back a sob and said,

"I know we're doing the right thing but I'm still not ready to let go."

"None of us are." Hutch told her in shaky voice, smiling through his own tears of pain and grief.

Rachel leaned forward and gently kissed her son's cheek. "I love you, my darling." she said "Soon you'll be at peace and with your father. Watch over each other until I join you and we can all be together again." With a trembling smile, she stepped aside so that Hutch could say his final goodbye to his best friend and partner.

Running his fingers through those thick curls, Hutch smiled fondly and whispered,

"I guess this is it, buddy. It wasn't supposed to end like this but I guess, this time, we're all out of miracles." A tear fell without shame as he continued, "I love you like a brother and I don't know how I'm supposed to go on without you. Just walk slow and wait for me to catch up with you cause I won't be far behind."

Edith Dobey let out a quiet sob and buried her face against her husband's supportive shoulder at the sound of Hutch's heartfelt words. Well aware of the unique connection between Starsky and Hutch, like her husband and anyone else close enough to realize the bond between the two detectives, she also believed that Hutch wouldn't live long after Starsky died. So in a sense, instead of just watching Starsky die, she knew that she was watching Hutch die too.

A heavy silence fell over the room when the doctor came back in. As Starsky closest living relative, Rachel signed the paperwork authorizing the removal of the life support. Everyone watched in silence as he began to remove the equipment that had been keeping Starsky alive. He saved the ventilator for last. As he removed the tube from Starsky's throat, the brunet let out a long, shuddering gasp and then fell silent. Rachel began to cry, burying her face against Hutch's comforting shoulder.

Suddenly, Starsky gave another loud gasp and began to breath again, in a ragged irregular rhythm. Startled by this unexpected turn of events, the doctor hurriedly pressed his stethoscope to the brunet's chest. After listening carefully for several long seconds, he looked at the anxious faces of the others in the room and said in an awed voice,

"He's breathing on his own and his heartbeat is strong and regular. But, I don't want to give you any false hope. His system has been severely damaged by the virus and I still don't believe he'll be able to survive on his own for very long. I'm sorry."

"My son may just surprise you again, doctor." Rachel said confidently. "He may have just been granted another miracle."

"I wish I could believe that, Mrs. Starsky. I like David, I really do." Doctor Franklin said "In all my years as a doctor, I've seen things happen that can't be explained …maybe this will be one of them. I'm going to have some tests ran so I can better evaluate David's present condition." Shaking his head, he turned and slowly walked out of the room.

As the door closed quietly behind him, Rachel gently ran her fingers over her son's face, lingering for a brief moment on the mole beneath his left eye. "I knew you wouldn't give up without a fight…so just keep on fighting. But if you have to leave, we'll understand. Just sleep for now, my darling. We're all still here with you."

The Dobeys and Huggy Bear decided to go to the cafeteria to get a bite to eat, giving Hutch and Rachel some much needed private time with Starsky. They were all exhausted; mentally, emotionally and physically but they were all bound together through their love and respect for each other and for Starsky to see this ordeal through to the end.

As promised, the doctor ordered a series of new tests to be ran on Starsky to evaluate his current physical condition. It was later that evening when he stopped back by to give them the results of those tests. In a subdued voice, he said,

"David's lungs are less congested but his kidneys still aren't functioning on their own. His heartbeat is strong but we can't rule out possible damage from the virus. We also can't rule out the possibly of brain damage from the high fevers that he experienced.

The good news is that the antibodies his body is producing seem to be killing off the virus but it may still be too late for him to recover."

"But there's a chance, there's always a chance." Huggy Bear said, mirroring the exact same words he had said in another hospital as Starsky had lingered near death.

"Maybe God did grant him another miracle after all." Edith Dobey said with an angelic smile.

"Knowing Starsky, he's just too damn stubborn to die." Captain Dobey said with a smirk and an affectionate chuckle that reflected his own relief at this turn of events.

"You may all be right." Doctor Franklin said with a slight smile. "At the moment, David is in a coma and there is no way to predict if or when he will come out of it…that is if he survives the current crisis."

No one spoke as the doctor left the room. They all knew that they had witnessed yet another miracle. There was no other way to describe Starsky's incredible luck at continuing to defy the odds, no matter how great they seemed to be. It appeared that the military's interference and their insistence at putting Starsky on life support may have actually saved his life by giving his body time to produce sufficient enough antibodies to start fighting the virus that was killing him.


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER 16**

Over the next few days Starsky's physical condition began to improve, even though he remained in a coma. It was a relief to Rachel,Hutch and the others to watch as the color came back into his face. His breathing improved and the raspy sound in his lungs diminished. Even Doctor Franklin was cautiously optimistic about his recovery. He ordered a series of tests ran on his still seriously ill patient and Hutch waited anxiously for the results along with the others.

Rachel and Hutch were the only two in the room when the doctor came in to inform them of the results of the tests. The Dobey's had returned home and Huggy Bear had a bar to attend to. Rachel clutched Hutch's arm for support as the Doctor entered the room. Doctor Franklin smiled at her anxious face and said,

"The antibodies in David's system seem to be fighting off the virus. He's still very weak but most of his other organs seem to be healing themselves. His lungs are still weak but that is to be expected since they were already damaged in Starsky's previous shooting."

"Does that mean that he's going to recover?" Rachel asked in a quiet voice.

"I would say he has a good chance of making a full recovery from the physical trauma in time." The doctor paused to gather his thoughts and then continued, "However, he is still in a deep coma and is showing no immediate signs of coming out of it. His body has been through an extremely traumatic ordeal and he was literally at death's door. This is simply his mind's way of coping with that trauma and allowing his body the time it needs to rest and recover."

In spite of his optimistic words, Rachel and Hutch both understood what he was not telling them. The longer Starsky remained in a coma, the less likely it was for him to recover without some sort of brain damage and, with each day that passed without him waking up, the less likely it became that he ever would. His body might be alive but the part of him that made him David Starsky may be lost to them forever.

"He'll be all right." Rachel said confidently, her chin tilted in the same defiant manner as her eldest son when he was sure about something. "My David will make it through this. You'll see."

"I hope you're right." Doctor Franklin said with a sympathetic glance at the elderly woman. He had been a doctor long enough to know how much the loving support of family and friends meant to a patient's recovery and he was familiar enough with David Starsky's medical history to know that if anyone could beat the odds, the resilient brunet could.

"He'll make it." Hutch said confidently with a fond smile at his best friend. "He has too. He's come this far and nobody thought that he would. God still has plans for him. His work here on Earth isn't done yet."

"No," Doctor Franklin said "I don't believe it is." He turned and left the room, leaving Rachel and Hutch alone with the comatose Starsky.

"I talked to Nicky this morning." Rachel said absently as she carded Starsky's curls with her fingers. "He'd be here if he could but he just started this new job and he

just can't get away right now."

Hutch grunted but made no comment. There was no love lost between Hutch and Nick Starsky. As far as Hutch was concerned, Nick Starsky was a selfish, self-centered little prick who didn't care about anyone but himself. His oldest brother would be better off if Nick stayed away. Whenever he did come around all he did was cause trouble and heartache for his eldest sibling.

Like any mother, Rachel Starsky loved both of her children but she tended to turn a blind eye to her youngest son's faults. A natural rift had occurred within the family when she sent Starsky away when he was only thirteen to live in California with his aunt and uncle. As a result, she had lavished all of her love and attention on Nicky, her remaining child. Unfortunately, Nicky had grown up spoiled and wild, refusing to conform to society's rules and norms. The two Starsky brothers were as different as night and day. But the eldest Starsky son still had a strong sense of family loyalty that was sorely lacking in his only sibling. It was one of the many traits that Hutch admired and respected in the man.

"I'll have to go home soon." Rachel added sadly. "I don't want to leave yet, not until I know Davey is going to wake up but I may have to."

"If you have to leave before he wakes up, I'm sure he'll understand." Hutch reassured her, slipping a comforting arm around her shoulders. From the very beginning, Rachel Starsky had embraced Hutch as if he were part of the family, becoming the substitute mother figure that he craved so badly. She had immediately recognized the unique bond he shared with her eldest son and had encouraged it. She had told him on more than one occasion how it put her mind at ease to know that her Davey was partners with someone who really cared about him as a person and as a friend. She knew that Hutch was the brother to Starsky that Nicky would never be. It saddened Rachel deeply to know that her two sons were not as close as they should have been and she blamed herself for that. But, at the time she knew she was doing what was best for her eldest child.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Another week passed without Starsky waking up. Hutch continued his lonely watch at the brunet's side, praying for a glimpse of those sapphire eyes that he knew so well. He needed a sign that Starsky was truly going to come out of this. Late one afternoon, Doctor Franklin met with Rachel and Hutch in his private office at the hospital. Without any unnecessary formalities, he got directly to the point.

"David is not showing any signs of coming out of the coma and his physical condition has improved to the point that he is no longer in need of extensive medical care.

I'm afraid that the time has come to make a decision."

"What kind of decision?" Rachel asked with baited breath, her heart pounding in her chest as she waited to hear what the doctor had to say.

"We need to consider transferring David to a long term care facility where he can still get extensive physical therapy and rehabilitation in addition to the level of care he still needs."

"You mean a nursing home, don't you?" Hutch snapped a bit more sharply than he intended. His tone was harsh and bitter as he thought about his grandfather's last days in a nursing home where he had receivedminimal care and attention.

"Not a nursing home exactly," Doctor Franklin clarified. "What I had in mind was a facility for patients like David called Willow Springs. It's located here in Los Angeles and has an excellent reputation for caring for comatose patients. They have a remarkable success rate in helping patients like David come out of their comas and return to an active, productive life." He picked up some brochures from his desk and handed them to Rachel. "I took the liberty of calling the director and telling her that the two of you may be stopping by to take a look at the place and to talk to some of the staff members before making any decisions about having David transferred there."

"But you believe this is the best place for my David?" Rachel said, glancing half heartedly at the brochures. She also had some bad images in her mind about nursing homes and the care the patients received. "You honestly believe they can help him?"

"I think it's the best chance he has." Doctor Franklin said frankly. "But I don't want you to make any rash decisions. Visit the facility and see for yourself what they are all about. I'm sure that you will be pleased."

"We'll check it out." Hutch said "But we're not making any promises. I won't allow Starsky to be put in some institution and just forgotten."

"Neither will I." Rachel said firmly. "If it comes down to that, then I will have him transferred back to New York where I can keep a close eye on him."

Hutch caught his breath at Rachel's ominous declaration. Although he had medical power of attorney for Starsky in the absence of his immediate family, as his mother, Rachel still had the final word concerning his care. The possibility of Rachel wanting Starsky transferred to a facility in New York if his condition did not improve had never occurred to Hutch. He hoped that Willow Springs was as good as Doctor Franklin seemed to think it was and that Rachel would agree to let them take Starsky there. Hutch didn't think he could bear it if Starsky were moved back to New York where Hutch couldn't be there by his side to help oversee his care.


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

Shortly before ten am the next morning, Hutch pulled his battered vehicle into the large parking lot in front of the facility that Doctor Franklin had recommended. It was a long, one storey building with spacious, well cared for landscaping. Hutch helped Rachel from the car and they walked into the building side by side. The interior of the facility was painted in bright, cheerful colors and most of the staff appeared to be dressed in casual clothing instead of uniforms, identified only by the name tags pinned to their shirts. But in spite of the efforts to camouflage the purpose ofthe building, Hutch and Rachel could not forget what this place really was.

A pretty brunette in her late thirties with blue eyes and a warm smile saw them come in and went up to them immediately. "You must be the folks that Doctor Franklin called me about. He said to be expecting you. My name is Linda Manning and if you decide to send David here, I will be his case manager. Why don't we go back to my office so we can talk for a bit and then I'll give you a tour of the building?"

Hutch and Rachel followed her down a long hallway to a corner office. She ushered them inside and closed the door. The office was tastefully decorated with a couch and three comfortable chairs instead of a desk and the usual office furnishings. A computer sat on a stand in one corner of the room. It could have easily have been mistaken for someone's living room instead of someone's office. Rachel and Hutch sat on the sofa, while Linda sat on one of the chair across from them.

"First of all, I would like to point out that our facility is designed specifically for the care of patients in David's condition. Our goal is do whatever is necessary to help David come out of the coma and get back to his normal life as soon as possible."

"Then you do think he will wake up?" Rachel said hopefully

"I'm confident that he will…eventually. Unfortunately, there is no way to predict when that will happen. Most people are in a coma for a short period of time, a few days or a few weeks. However, some people seem to lose their way and can't find their way back to us. It's up to us to help them do that.

Our staff is trained to work one on one with each patient and each patient has their own individual physical and occupational therapist. They can provide more stimulation than they can at the hospital and as his family, we want you to be as involved in that process as much as possible." She paused to consult some notes and then continued, "For the time being David will remain on a catheter and willcontinue to be tube fed. His position will be changed every hour instead of every four hours to prevent bed sores and his muscles and limbs will be exercised to prevent the muscles from contracting. That's another example of the special care we can give him here that they can't provide in the hospital." She smiled encouragingly. "I know this is a lot to take in all at once but I can assure you that is where David needs to be right now in order to recover as quickly as possible. Our success rate in this type of case is the highest in the country." She rose gracefully to her feet, "Now, if you'll come with me, I'll give you a tour of the building."

Hutch and Rachel nodded and rose to their feet. They followed her out of the office and listened carefully as she described the facility as they went along. She showed them one of the typical patient rooms. There was a regular single bed instead of a traditional hospital bed with a second bed sitting against the opposite wall. There was also a love seat and a sofa arranged in one corner of the room with a TV sitting on a stand. As with the rest of the facility, special care had been taken to keep the room from looking like a typical hospital room. The patient sleeping quietly on the bed was dressed in a tee shirt and sweat pants instead of a hospital gown and soft music was playing in the background. 

"We try to keep things resembling a home atmosphere as much as possible." Linda told them with a smile "And you are welcome to spend the night whenever you like…that's the purpose of the second bed in each patient's room."

"It's not like anything I imagined." Rachel admitted in a relieved voice. Hutch had to agree, the rooms were warm and welcoming putting the blond's worried mind at ease. 

"That's the impression we hope to achieve." Linda told her "I think it's more comfortable this way for both the patient and the family. We also do not have any set visiting hours so you are welcome to stop by to see David anytime, day or night."

She continued the tour, showing them the therapy rooms, the fully equipped gym, the heated swimming pool and the recreation area for the ambulatory patients. By the end of their tour, both Rachel and Hutch were both impressed and reassured by the facility's appearance and the staff's obvious care and devotion to their patients. Hutch felt a renewed sense of hope that this place could really help Starsky get better. They thanked the woman for her time and told her that they would be in touch. As they left the building, Rachel turned to Hutch and said, 

"It's a nice enough place and doesn't seem like any nursing home I've ever been in. I think I would feel comfortable sending David here."

"Does that mean you'll let him stay here in California instead of taking him back to New York?" Hutch asked hopefully.

"After seeing this place, yes." she said with a smile "Besides, I know that he has you to take care of him so he will be in good hands. I can go home with my mind at ease."

"Thank you." Hutch said gratefully

"You don't have to thank me. I know that you love him too." Rachel told him

Hutch gave a heavy sigh of relief, gratefulthat Rachel had approved of the facilityand was willing to allow Starsky to remain in Bay City. Hutch had been terrified that Rachel would decide that she wanted Starsky back in New York with her. 

Hutch was pleased with the facility too. He believed that they would provide Starsky with the best of care and that they were the brunet's best hope for recovering from his ordeal and awakening from the coma that held him prisoner in his own mind.

He walked Rachel to his car and they drove back to the hospital where Rachel signed consent forms to have Starsky transferred to Willow Springs. He would be moved the following morning. 

Hutch was grateful that Willow Springs was so receptive to allowing friends and family members to spend as much time as possible with their patients. In the past, Hutch had often had to fight hospital staff and policy to be allowed to stay with Starsky when he was hurt or ill. Although neither man could explain why it happened, they always recovered better when the other one was there to encourage them and give them the strength to go on. It was just another facet of the unique bond that held them together.

That bond had existed almost from the day they had met at the police academy and over the years it had grown stronger until, sometimes, Hutch didn't know where he began and Starsky ended. They were two halves of the same whole, neither one complete without the other one by his side. True soul mates in every sense of the word. Their lives had become so intertwined that their partnership was closer than most marriages, just without the physical relationship. Rumors had surfaced throughout the years that maybe they were too close, more than just friends. That couldn't have been farther from the truth and neither man let the rumors bother them. 

Sometimes when Hutch took the time to analyze things, he knew that Starsky had become too big a part of his life to ignore. It was difficult for him to function independently when the brunet's life was at stake. The thought of his life without the whirlwind that was David Starsky in it was incomprehensible to the big blond. With the brunet by his side, Hutch felt empty and unbalanced. Above all, Hutch missed Starsky's laugh, his stupid jokes and the sound of his voice. He missed the way they communicated without speaking, their use of touch to keep each other grounded and secure. Starsky had to come out of the coma before Hutch lost it completely.


	18. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER 18**

Starsky was transferred to Willow Springs the following morning. Hutch and Rachel followed the ambulance to the facility and waited patiently while Starsky was admitted and settled into his room. They both noticed immediately how caring and genuinely concerned the entire staff was about Starsky's welfare. No matter who happened to be in the room, even if it was just the cleaning staff, they talked to Starsky as if he could hear them instead of ignoring him because he was in a coma like some people tended to do. 

Later that afternoon, a young woman with upswept blonde hair came into the room and smiled at Hutch and Rachel warmly. "My name is Donna and I'm David's primary physical therapist." she said introducing herself. "I'll be working with David for a few hours every day and coordinating his care with the rest of the staff. I'll also be working with you and showing you some simple range of motion exercises that you can do with David too that will help keep his muscles in good shape and prevent his joints from stiffening up." 

"I'm happy to meet you. I'm David's mother, Rachel Starsky and this is his best friend and partner, Ken Hutchinson." Rachel liked the young woman instantly and felt confident that she would be able to help her son recover. "I will be returning to New York in a few days but Ken will be here to help take care of David."

"Will you be staying in the room with David overnight?" Donna asked Hutch, eyeing the big blond critically.

"Yes." Hutch told her without any hesitation. He had already made the necessary arrangements to take an unpaid leave of absence from work until Starsky was better. Thanks to a substantial trust fund that his grandfather had left him that he seldom used, the unpaid leave would not be a financial hardship on the blond. He would continue to be able to pay his own living expenses and to cover Starsky's expenses until his temporary disability payments from the department kicked in. 

"Good. Then why don't we get started right now. I thought we could get David up and take him outside for some fresh air and sun, help him get back that killer tan I bet he had before this happened."

She stepped out of the room for a moment and returned with a chair that resembled a recliner with a padded headrest. She showed Hutch how to help her lift Starsky's limp, unresponsive body out of the bed and reposition him in the chair. She fastened a safety belt securely around the brunet's waist to keep him from slipping out. Before leaving the room, she pulled a tube of sunscreen from her jacket pocket and carefully covered every part of Starsky's exposed skin to prevent him from getting burned by the sun. The entire time, she talked to Starsky in a soft, gentle voice, telling him exactly what she was doing and warning him before she touched him. 

Straightening up from her task, she smiled brightly and said, "He's resisting me…that's a good sign."

"I don't understand." Rachel said in a puzzled voice, "What do you mean?"

"When I moved David's arms or legs to position him in the chair, he resisted me. He was in the hospital for a long time without anyone doing any exercises with him because they thought he was going to die." she said bluntly "As a result, his muscles have started to contract or tighten up from not being used and his joints have stiffened up. So, as a result when I move them, it hurts and he's resisting me."

"That's good. Right?" Rachel asked hopefully.

"It's a very good sign. It means that he's in a lighter coma than the doctor's originally suspected. He may even be able to hear us when we talk to him." she paused and then added "But don't get your hopes up too soon. Coma patients don't just open their eyes and wake up. It's a much more gradual process than that. They start out exactly the way David is now, slowly responding to their surroundings and their first response is

to pain. It could still be quite some time before you see the response you want to see." 

Both Rachel and Hutch nodded to show her that they understood. They were delighted with the news. It was time they got some good news about the brunet for a change. Every small step forward was a major accomplishment and a reason to be grateful. They turned their attention back to Donna as she continued,

"Our nutritionist will be changing the formula he's been getting through his feeding tube to increase his calorie intake so he can start putting back on the weight he's lost." During his ordeal and confinement, Starsky has lost almost twenty pounds and the weight loss showed in his face which looked haggard and drawn with the bone structure sharply defined.

"You said he would start responding more to his surroundings," Hutch said "How exactly?"

"Obviously responding to painful stimuli which he is doing now." Donna said "You may start to notice small muscle twitches, changes in his facial expressions, he may even start making some movements in response to your voice when you talk to him. It's been proven that a patient in a coma can hear before he actually walks up, that's why we encourage everyone to talk to the patient even if he doesn't seem to he responding. He may even start making some sounds and it may look like he's trying to talk. He may even start opening his eyes from time to time as he gets closer to regaining consciousness, but his eyes will be unfocused and he won't really be conscious even though it may look like he is." She smiled encouragingly. "I know it's a lot to take in all at once. Just rest assured that we will be doing everything possible to help David wake up as soon as possible. Now, why don't we take him outside in the courtyard for some sun and fresh air."

Hutch pushed the chair and they followed the pert blond down a long hallway to a set of glass doors that opened into a large enclosed courtyard filled with the sweet aroma of roses from the bushes planted around the interior. Hutch's nose immediately twitched, his allergies reminding him not to get too close to the fragrant flowers. It was a beautiful California day with the sun shining brightly and a slight breeze from the north that carried with it the scent of the nearby ocean. Donna locked the brakes on Starsky's chair and they all sat down on one of the benches facing the doors that led to the facility. Donna left Hutch and Rachel to visit with Starsky while she tended to other duties. When they were ready to take Starsky back to his room, she instructed Hutch to push the call button so she could help him get Starsky back into his bed. 

"I think we made the right choice to send David here." Rachel said firmly. _"_I'm sure he's going to get the best care he can and get better."

"So am I," Hutch agreed. He looked at the older woman that he had come to think of as a substitute mother. "When are you going back to New York?"

"I can stay till the end of the week." she said wistfully "I wish I could stay longer but if I leave Nicky alone much longer I may not have a house when I get back." It was the closest Hutch had ever heard her come to admitting to her youngest son's shortcomings. He remembered how she had come to Bay City after Gunther's men had tried to kill Starsky only to be forced to return to New York prematurely when Nicky forged her name to several checks and almost wiped out her meager savings. 

"I'll call you every day to let you know how he's doing." Hutch promised her.

"I know you will." Rachel said fondly, patting Hutch on the arm affectionately. "I'll always be grateful that God sent you to be my Davey's friend. It makes me feel better about leaving like this just knowing he has someone like you to look after him when I can't."

"I love him too." Hutch said quietly, lowering his eyes self-consciously as he spoke the words aloud that he felt in his heart.

"I know you do. And he loves you just as much as you love him. You were meant to be together. I believe that. God in his infinite wisdom has blessed you both." A comfortable silence fell between them as they sat there in the sunshine with Starsky for a couple of hours before returning to his room. 


	19. Chapter 19

**CHAPTER 19**

Hutch was fast asleep in the second bed in Starsky's room when a soft thud awakened him. Opening his eyes, he yawned and tried to figure out what had awakened him. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light filtering in from the hallway, Hutch suddenly realized what had awakened him. Starsky's arm had fallen over the side of the bed and his hand had hit the side of the bed. Crawling out of bed, Hutch gently picked up Starsky's arm and laid it back on the bed, only to have Starsky fling out his arm again so that it fell over the edge of the mattress..

"Starsk, are you doing that on purpose?" Hutch asked with a soft chuckle. He picked up Starsky's arm again and this time he laid it across Starsky's stomach. "Now stop making so much noise and let me sleep." It had been almost a week since Starsky had started to show signs that he may be more alert than anyone realized and Hutch was desperate to have his friend back. He reached out and rubbed Starsky's shoulder for a moment, then returned to his own bed. Soon he was sleeping soundly again.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Where the hell am _I? _What happened to me? Why can't I remember? Why can't I open my eyes? Hutch? Where are you, Blondie? I need you! Help me! Please, help me!_

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The next morning, one of the aides brought Hutch a breakfast tray. "Thank you, darling." Hutch told her with a warm smile. The aide blushed and giggled as she hurried from the room. Several of the younger aides had a crush on the handsome blond who seemed so devoted to his friend. And more then a few also had a crush on the handsome brunet lying in a coma. But, Hutch was too wrapped up in his concern for Starsky and his well being to even notice. When Donna came in to do her morning routine of exercises with Starsky, Hutch questioned her about the incident the night before.

"He threw his arm off the bed a couple of times." he told her "Could he have been doing that on purpose?"

"Maybe," Donna said thoughtfully "Or it could have just been an involuntary response. But I think I'm going to talk to the doctor about ordering a new series of tests on David to determine his level of awareness."

Donna started the range of motion exercises with Starsky, carefully demonstrating each move for Hutch so he could also do the exercises with Starsky throughout the day.

"There's a definite resistance today." she told Hutch. Turning her attention to Starsky, she said, "Oh, we don't wanna work today, do we? Well, you're not getting off that easy." She glanced back at Hutch and smiled brightly. "He's definitely trying to fight me. See for yourself." She stepped aside and motioned for Hutch to take her place.

Hutch stepped up beside Starsky and picked up his left arm, repeating the same exercise that Donna had just done. He felt it almost immediately, an immediate resistance on Starsky's part to having his arm rotated. He looked at Donna hopefully. "Does this mean he's trying to wake up?"

"It means he's getting closer." Donna admitted, resuming her place at Starsky's side and taking over the exercises. She continued talking as she worked, "I know you want David to wake up as soon as possible but you need to realize that even when he does wake up, we don't know what kind of condition he will be in. He's still going to need a lot of help to get back to normal again."

"But at least he'll be awake and not just laying there." Hutch said

"Since you're here, you can help me get him into the chair and then you can take him outside for awhile." Donna said. She turned to get the chair sitting a few feet away.

Hutch carefully slipped one arm under Starsky's knees and the other arm behind his shoulders, gently lifting him up into his embrace. He laid him down in the chair, fastening the seat belt and covering Starsky's legs with a lap blanket. Donna handed Hutch a specially contoured pillow to put under Starsky's head to keep him from falling to the side and handed Hutch a pillow to put under Starsky's knees.

"I'm going to go see about getting those tests ran." Donna said "I know David is in good hands until I get back."

After she had left the room, Hutch knelt down beside his partner and gently ran his hand up and down Starsky's left arm. "I know you're in there somewhere, buddy…" he said quietly "And I know that your trying to find your way back. Just keep fighting…I know you can do it and I'll be right here waiting for you."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Hutch? Is that you? I can hear you! I can hear you! Help me! I can't open my eyes! I'm scared, Hutch! I'm scared! Help me!_

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Later that afternoon, Donna kept her promise and Starsky was subjected to a series of tests. Hutch paced the floor anxiously, waiting for news on Starsky's present condition. When Donna finally rejoined him, the bright smile on her face was encouraging. "The doctor is finishing up with David now and an intern will bring him back to his room." she told the overwrought blond. "Why don't we get some coffee and I'll tell you what the doctor found."

Hutch silently followed Donna to the employee lounge where she poured each of them a cup of coffee. He was anxious to hear about Starsky's progress but didn't want to push. As they sat down at one of the tiny tables scattered throughout the room, Donna said, "The results of the test are very promising. They indicate that David is definitely trying to wake up. He's responding to both painful stimuli and touch. He just isn't alert enough yet to respond to us. I wish I could tell you how soon he'll wake up but I can't. It could be a few days or it could be a couple of weeks yet. All we can do is wait."

Hutch couldn't stop the huge smile that crossed his face. "That's terrific." he said enthusiastically. "I know he can hear me. I can feel it."

"I'm sure he can. Just keep talking to him and reassuring him that he's safe and that he's going to be okay. When he does wake up, he will probably be confused and disoriented. He may or may not remember what happened to him. Just be patient with him and don't try to force him to do more than he's ready for. He'll probably be scared at first and there's a possibility that he may not know you."

"He'll know me. I guarantee it." Hutch said confidently. He finished his coffee in one long swallow. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have a partner to take care of." The big blond rose gracefully to his feet and left the room.

Donna watched him with a faint smile tugging at her lips. Like the rest of the staff at the facility, she was inspired by the unique relationship between Starsky and Hutch. She envied the closeness the two men shared and sensed that she still hadn't truly seen the full extent of their relationship. If anyone had a chance of going back to a normal life again, it was David Starsky. He couldn't lose with friends like Ken Hutchinson on his side.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

**A/N: I apologize for the long delay in posting this chapter, so as a special reward for your patience, am posting two chapters at once. Hopefully, I will back on line very very soon and not have to keep finding other ways of getting on the web and posting.**

The next afternoon, Hutch took Starsky out into the courtyard and sat there reading the newspaper to the unresponsive brunet. Needing a break from reading, Hutch laid the paper down on the bench beside him and reached out to rub the back of Starsky's hand. "I wish you'd wake up, Gordo," he said "So you could do your own reading." His voice was quiet and gentle. Suddenly, he felt a slight movement under his hand, startling him. He held his breath when he felt it again. Starsky had moved his fingers. Not much, but enough that Hutch had noticed. "Starsk?" he said anxiously "Can you hear me, buddy?" he held his breath, waiting, but Starsky didn't move his fingers again. Hutch didn't care. He knew that he hadn't imagined it. Starsky had moved his hand.

For the rest of the afternoon and evening, Hutch watched Starsky carefully. He began to notice little things that he hadn't noticed before. A twitch of a muscle around Starsky's mouth, the faint movement of his fingers, a slight tilt of his head to one side whenever Hutch talked to him. Hutch could barely contain his excitement. After so many weeks of uncertainty, Starsky was finally showing signs of waking up. When Donna stopped by that evening after supper to check on Starsky before going home for the evening, Hutch excitedly told her the things he had observed.

"I know." she told him "I've noticed a couple of things myself. I told you that he was trying to wake up. And you'll see a lot more things like you saw today as he gets stronger and starts fighting to open his eyes." She smiled brightly "Just keep talking to him and doing what you've been doing. Just keep reassuring him that he's safe and that you're here with him. That's the best medicine he could have right now."

"You don't have to worry about that." Hutch told her with a wide grin.

"I know I don't. He has no idea how lucky he is to have a friend like you to help pull him out of this."

As she left the room, Hutch leaned over closer to Starsky and whispered into a curl covered ear, "You hear that, buddy? You're gonna be okay. You were awfully sick for a while but you're all better now. I'm right here with you and I ain't going no place until you open those eyes for me."

Hutch needed to see the brunet with his eyes open, hear the sound of his voice and see that trademark smile. He was managing on his own but it still felt as if a big part of him was missing, leaving him cold and alone. This whole ordeal had been just as hard on Hutch as it had been on Starsky.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Is that you, Blondie? I can hear you but I can't open my eyes! I'm trying…I really am. Stay with me, Hutch…I need you. Don't leave me here alone. I'm scared. I don't want to be alone!__It's dark in here and I don't like it ! _

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

As Hutch was doing Starsky's evening care, he noticed that the brunet seemed to be restless. Although Starsky wasn't making any obvious movements of discomfort, Hutch could sense his agitation. He seemed to relax immediately when Hutch laid his hand on his shoulder and said, "It's okay, pal…I'm right here." He smiled fondly at his best friend."Time to get some sleep…unless you wanna open those eyes for me. Then we can stay up and talk all night if you want to." Although Hutch meant his words as a joke, he felt a jolt of excitement when he saw Starsky's eyelids flutter. He held his breath for several long minutes, then grabbed Starsky's hand and squeezed it tightly. "Come on, Starsk…" he pleaded in a gentle, coaxing voice "Open your eyes…Wake up for me!" Starsky's eyelids fluttered again but remained closed.

For the next hour, Hutch tried in vain to get Starsky to open his eyes, without any success. Hutch sensed that the brunet was right on the edge of waking up but just couldn't cross over yet. Finally, Hutch sighed in disappointment and said, "Okay, that's enough for tonight. We both need some rest. We'll try again in the morning." Hutch straightened up and walked over to the other bed, stripping down to his boxers and crawling beneath the sheet.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The muted light from the hallway spilling through the open doorway was the first thing that Starsky saw when he opened his eyes and tried to figure out where he was. His heart began to pound in fear as he looked around at his unfamiliar surroundings. When he turned his head and saw Hutch sleeping in the bed next to him, he automatically relaxed and closed his eyes, drifting into a natural sleep instead of the coma that had been holding him in it's grip for so long. As long as Hutch was there, he knew that he was safe. He couldn't seem to remember how he had gotten here or even where he was, his mind felt sluggish and confused. But Hutch was there and that was all that mattered.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Hutch awoke early the next morning and dressed quickly. He knew the aide would be bringing the breakfast trays soon and he wanted to get Starsky's morning care donebefore she did. He frowned when he looked at the brunet. There was something different about Starsky this morning but he couldn't seem to put his finger on just what it was. Something about the sound of his breathing or maybe it was relaxed position of his body but there was definitely something different.

"Morning, buddy." Hutch said automatically, as he reached for Starsky's hand the way he did every morning, needing that connection to start his day. He gasped in amazement when Starsky responded to the sound of his voice by turning his head and opening his eyes. "Starsky?" Hutch said breathlessly, trying to calm the pounding of his own heart "Can you hear me, pal?"

Instead of speaking, Starsky nodded his head slightly, not much but enough to let Hutch know that he really was awake and alert. Hutch immediately grabbed the call button and rang for assistance. Within minutes, an aide responded to the call.

"He's awake!" Hutch said in a thrilled voice, his joy showing clearly on his handsome face. "He's wake! Get hold of the doctor and let him know!"

The aide glanced at Starsky's bed just along enough to see that his eyes really were open and hurried from the room to do as Hutch requested. Donna was the first one to arrive. She looked at Starsky and smiled broadly, "Hi, David." she said "It's good to finally see those beautiful blue eyes. I'm Donna and I'm your primary therapist. Do you know where you are?"

Starsky shook his head, a puzzled expression on his face as he looked at Hutch for reassurance.

"It's okay, buddy." Hutch told him. "You were sick. Remember? We thought we'd lost you there for a while but you got better." he decided there would be plenty of time later to fill Starsky in on all the details of his ordeal. "You were in a coma and the hospital sent you here."

"Where?" Starsky managed to say, although it was obvious that it was an effort for him to speak. His voice was hoarse and raspy from not being used for so long but it had never sounded more beautiful to Hutch than it did right now.

"Our facility is called Willow Springs and it is a long term care facility for comatose patients." Donna explained. Starsky's eyes immediately filled with fear at the words comatose and long term care. His fingers fluttered, searching frantically for Hutch. Hutch immediately took his hand to soothe him and said,

"It's okay, pal. You're getting better. You'll be out of here in no time."

Starsky looked at Hutch, his eyes filled with complete trust. In a voice that trembled with emotion, he said "Home?"

"Not just yet, buddy…but soon. I promise." Hutch told him, a catch in his voice as he looked into Starsky's hope filled eyes. It hurt to deny the brunet anything but this time, Hutch had no choice.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Hutch stood to the side and watched impatiently as the doctor examined Starsky.

More alert than earlier; Starsky was able to correctly tell the doctor his name, his birthday, and his age. He was confused as to the exact day and date but that was to be expected. The doctor seemed pleased with the results of the examination and told Hutch that he would be back later in the day to check on Starsky again.

As the day passed, Starsky slowly became more alert and oriented. His speech was still slightly slurred and his voice hoarse but Hutch had never been more pleased to hear the sound of his partner's voice. The news spread rapidly that Starsky had awakened from his coma. He still had a rough road ahead of him for the next few weeks, but the staff all seemed to be optimistic about Starsky's recovery. His family and friends were overjoyed with the news and soon began to call the facility to pass on their well wishes.

Donna decided to turn her regular daily workouts with Starsky over to Hutch, sensing that the brunet would respond better to the tall blond. Now that he was awake, she could add new daily routines to his sessions, routines that would include getting him on his feet again as soon as possible and getting him back on solid foods instead of the feeding tube. She had seen a flash of stubbornness in his eyes that some people would have found discouraging but that she considered a challenge. She sensed that their future sessions together could easily turn into a battle of wills. She knew that she was going to need to enlist Hutch's help if she wanted Starsky's cooperation.

By that evening, Hutch was ready for bed much earlier than usual. He could tell that Starsky was worn out from the days events. Hutch walked over to the door and closed it. Usually, it was kept open at night but now that Starsky was awake, he had the right to some privacy, even if it was just a closed door at night. Hutch went into the bathroom and performed his own nightly ritual. When he finished, he went to Starsky's side and said,

"You need anything else, buddy, before I turn out the light?" He had already done Starsky's personal care and the nurse had been in to give him his meds.

"To go home." Starsky said in a hopeful voice, looking at Hutch expectantly. Although he seemed alert and oriented, for some reason, he couldn't seem to grasp the idea that he couldn't go home. At least not yet. He had been making the same request all day and it tore Hutch apart each time he had to tell Starsky that he couldn't leave yet.

"You can't, Starsk. Remember?" Hutch told him gently.

"When?" Starsky demanded, his bottom lip quivering as his turbulent emotions threatened to overwhelm him. He looked at Hutch, a panicked expression showing clearly in his eyes. "I can go home, can't I?" he whispered

"Of course you can." Hutch reassured him "You just need to get your strength back first."

"'K…" Starsky said with a discouraged sigh. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. Hutch sighed and climbed into his own bed but sleep was a long time coming to the big blond. In most ways, Starsky appeared to be the same as he had always been but in other, more subtle ways, he was different. His attention span seemed shorter than usual and he still seemed confused and disoriented at times. Hutch hoped that would pass soon. He wanted the old Starsky back desperately. He reminded himself that it had only been less than twenty-four hours since Starsky had come out of his coma. Hutch would just have to be patient and let nature take its course.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Shortly after breakfast the next morning, Donna came into the room. She smiled brightly at the two men and said, "Hi, David. Remember me?"

"Donna." Starsky said with a lopsided smile, pleased with himself for remembering her name and her face. He let his gaze sweep over her trim figure, still alert enough to appreciate a pretty woman when he saw one.

"That's right and if you're finished checking me out, I thought we could talk about what we're going to do over the next few days." She hid a smile when she saw the slight flush that colored the olive toned complexion. "We're going to start doing some things to determine just how much you can do by yourself and where you need a little extra help." She included Hutch in her next statement "And your friend here is going to be helping us out. I'm sure you want to get rid of that catheter and feeding tube as soon as possible. I know that neither one of them is very pleasant."

"You got that right." Starsky grumbled.

"Then that's where we're going to start. We're also going to start getting you used to sitting up again. You've been on your back for quite some time and your muscles are weak from not being used. So let's try that right now. Ken is going to help me and we're going to sit you on the edge of the bed for a few minutes." Starsky looked doubtfully but nodded his head slightly, after stealing a quick glance at Hutch for reassurance. "You'll probably feel dizzy at first but that's normal so don't worry about it." Donna told him. "Ken and I are going to be right here and we're not going to let you fall." Before Starsky could have second thoughts, she threw back the sheet and gently grabbed his legs. She glanced at Hutch with a smile. "Ken, would you get David's shoulders and help him set up as I swing his legs over the edge of the bed?"

Hutch nodded and followed her instructions. Within a few minutes, they had Starsky sitting on the edge of the bed for the first time in weeks. Starsky swayed unsteadily and would have pitched forward if Hutch hadn't tightened his grip around the brunet's shoulders.

"How are you doing, David?" Donna asked, looking closely at Starsky's flushed

cheeks and the fear in his eyes.

"Hu..ssshhh…" Starsky said breathlessly, responding to Hutch and ignoring Donna. "I don't feel so good…"

"Lay him back down." Donna ordered immediately. They quickly eased Starsky back into a reclining position. She gently brushed her hand over Starsky's flushed brow.

"Just relax and take some deep breathes. We can try again later. Not bad for the first time. At least you didn't throw up all over me."

Starsky rolled his eyes at her feeble attempt at humor and then closed his eyes, willing his unruly stomach to stop churning uneasily.

"I think he's had enough for now." Hutch said firmly, his protective nature kicking in as he sought to save his partner from any further distress.

"Relax, Ken. I'm going to let him rest until after lunch, then we can take him down to the therapy room." she said quietly. "It's going to take time to get him strong again and there's no need to rush anything. I'm willing to wait until David tells me he's ready to move on."

She turned and left the room, leaving the two friends alone. For the first time since Starsky was admitted to the facility, she realized that Hutch was not just a positive influence on the brunet, he could also be a liability too because of his defensive, protective nature towards his friend. That was something she would have to work on with both men. There was an interdependency there that she hadn't witnessed before. The strength of their bond could easily work for them or against them. Donna's job was to make sure that it didn't interfere with David's treatment or his recovery.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

"No. Home." Starsky said stubbornly as Donna tried to get him to finish his therapy session. He had made tremendous progress in the three weeks since he had awakened from the coma, but with that progress he had also become more resistant and non-compliant. His usual complaint was that he wanted to go home. Although Donna understood his frustration, she also knew that he was nowhere nearly ready to go home yet. When he became particularly resistant like he was today, she had discovered that it was best to end the session and return him to Hutch's care instead of getting into a battle of wills with the headstrong brunet.

They had been working on helping Starsky relearn how to feed himself. His coordination was still shaky and he either spilled things or dropped his utensils. For the time being, his diet consisted mainly of finger foods which he could handle without any difficulty. Although Donna tried to maintain a professional distance from her patients, there were those special ones who still managed to break through her barriers and David Starsky was one of those patients. She admired the man's stubborn determination, his courage and his strength. His frustration with his therapy came not from his own limitations but from his desire to speed things up so he could go home.

She had also discovered that she was more apt to get Starsky to cooperate if she was honest with him and didn't try to sugar coat things. There was nothing wrong with the man's mind. He was sharp as a tack. She smiled at the brunet and said quietly, "Okay, that's enough for today. Look, David, I know you don't want to be doing this and that it's frustrating as hell for you but it's the only way I can gauge how much progress you have made and what other areas we need to work on before you can go home. So, if something is really hard for you or frustrating you, just tell me and we won't do it during that session. But I want you to tell me why you don't want to do it. Deal?"

Starsky cocked his head to one side and smiled crookedly. "Deal." he said "Can I go back to my room now?"

"How about going outside to the patio? I think that's where Ken is." At the mention of his partner's name, Starsky's eyes lit up. Since Hutch was such a big part of Starsky's life, he was an equally important part of the brunet's recovery. Donna knew that the simple times spent with his friend were just as beneficial to the brunet as the regular therapy sessions. The time spent with Hutch healed Starsky's soul and his spirit. **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Two days later, Donna arranged a special treat for Starsky. She let Hutch take him out of the facility for the afternoon. She also told Starsky that if he kept improving as rapidly as he had been, he would be ready to go home in a couple of weeks. Starsky silently vowed that he would reach that goal no matter what.

On their outing, Starsky was satisfied stopping at a Taco stand for lunch and then going to the park to feed the ducks. The brunet was content just being outside in the fresh air and sunshine again. Several women walking through the park stopped to smile at the two men, flirting outrageously. Starsky and Hutch both flirted back, enjoying the familiar activity. Starsky was disappointed when it was time to go back to the facility but he held his tongue. He kept his spirits up by reminding himself that with some luck, he could be able to go home soon. The day had been a success, allowing him to do something normal with Hutch again. He felt a bit awkward because he couldn't move as freely as usual and had to stop to rest more frequently but he knew he was getting better.

That evening, he was tormented by severe leg cramps. Donna had told him that he would get cramps for a while since his muscles were still adapting to being used again. He understood that, but the cramps still hurt like hell. Hutch carefully massaged the painful, knotted muscles until they relaxed and Starsky breathed a deep sigh of relief. He was grateful that Hutch was there at times like this. He could never have massaged the

cramps out by himself.

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Starsky stared out the window as Hutch maneuvered the Torino through the late afternoon traffic. His nightmare was finally over. He was finally going home. There were still parts of his memory of his ordeal that were foggy and confused but he remembered enough to know how lucky he was to be alive. Although he hadn't changed his initial feelings about being put on life support, he knew that was the one thing that had kept him alive long enough for his body to start fighting back against the virus that had almost killed him. He also knew that Hutch and his mother had fought to honor his wishes and have him taken off the machines. He knew how hard that had to have been for them to do. It was just another example of how much he was loved by his mother and the big blond by his side.

There had been a few days when Starsky had thought this day would never come and now that it finally had, he was overcome with emotion. The last few weeks in the facility had gone by quickly as Starsky regained his strength and his former health. He faced each new challenge to his recovery head on and conquered it. As they got closer to his apartment, Starsky's eyes drank in the familiar sights that spelled home. Parking at the foot of the steps that led to the deck in front of his one floor apartment, Hutch helped Starsky out of the car and into the house. As they walked in, all of his friends from the department, Huggy Bear and the Dobey family, along with his mother and his Aunt Rosie and Uncle Al, began yelling 'surprise!' and 'welcome home'. Starsky blinked back the sudden tears that flooded his eyes as he felt the love that filled the room. He was finally home.

THE END


End file.
